US Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a joint statement on Friday calling on Lebanon’s new government to seize the moment to reduce Hezbollah’s influence and implement crucial economic reforms.
“We are at a critical moment in Lebanon,” the senators stated. “The Lebanese people have an opportunity to break Iran’s stranglehold on Beirut.” The bipartisan statement praised efforts by both the current and previous US administrations to isolate Iran and reduce Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanese politics and security.
The senators reaffirmed strong US backing for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), describing them as the “best strategic counterweight to Hezbollah’s influence.” They encouraged swift LAF action in fulfilling ceasefire requirements, warning that slow movement could backlash. “Any LAF hesitancy to meet the security challenges in the south would be deeply concerning and force the United States to re-evaluate its approach,” the statement read.
Risch and Shaheen also expressed support to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, calling them “the best opportunity to restore Lebanese sovereignty and deliver a prosperous future for the people of Lebanon.” However, they cautioned that substantial work lies ahead, particularly in enacting reforms outlined by the International Monetary Fund.
The statement directly addressed Lebanon’s political elite, urging Speaker Nabih Berri to “propel Lebanon into the future or risk returning to a broken government.” Ministers Rakan Nassereddine, Mohammad Haidar and Yassine Jaber were also named, calling for their “full support” in reviving the country.
Highlighting the importance of state control over key infrastructure, the senators stressed that “government control of customs, the airport, and routes in and out of Lebanon are critical to ensure Hezbollah continues to wither under a lack of resources.”
“The Lebanese people have taken the first steps,” the senators concluded, adding, “Now it is up to Lebanon's political leadership to deliver.”
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