In a sharp rebuke of Lebanon’s military leadership, US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) abruptly ended a high-level meeting in Beirut after Lebanon’s top military commander refused to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization—despite decades of American policy that firmly states otherwise.
“I asked him point blank if he believes Hezbollah is a terrorist organization,” Graham said on Thursday, referring to his meeting with Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces. “He said, ‘No, not in the context of Lebanon.’ With that, I ended the meeting.”
Graham’s early departure and public condemnation come at a time of heightened scrutiny over Lebanon’s commitments to disarm Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed group that has launched repeated rocket attacks on Israel and has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States since 1997.
“They are clearly a terrorist organization,” Graham continued. “Hezbollah has American blood on its hands. Just ask the US Marines.”
The senator was referencing the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 American service members and was carried out by Hezbollah operatives. “They have been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by both Republican and Democrat administrations—for good reason,” he stressed.
Not a reliable partner
Graham’s comments echo longstanding Israeli concerns that the Lebanese government is not doing enough to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, particularly in southern Lebanon. Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024 that calls for Hezbollah’s full disarmament, Israeli officials say the terror group continues to rearm and rebuild with Iranian support.
In response to Lebanon’s ongoing disarmament plan—dubbed “Shield of the Homeland”—Israel has acknowledged some progress but insists it is far from sufficient. “Extensive Hezbollah military infrastructure still exists south of the Litani River,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry warned this month, noting that parts of the Lebanese army have even cooperated with Hezbollah in the past.
Graham, who serves on key Senate committees involved in foreign policy and defense, expressed deep skepticism about continuing American support for Lebanon’s military in light of its refusal to confront Hezbollah directly.
“As long as this attitude exists from the Lebanese Armed Forces, I don’t think we have a reliable partner in them,” he stated. “I am tired of the double speak in the Middle East. Too much is at stake.”
Graham’s forceful comments may foreshadow growing pressure in Washington to reassess US military aid to Lebanon—especially if the Lebanese Armed Forces are seen as unwilling or unable to stand apart from Hezbollah’s grip on the country’s security landscape.
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