Lebanese Armed Forces Chief of Defense Gen. Rodolphe Haykal’s Thursday meeting with Senator Lindsay Graham ended early after Haykal stated that he did not consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
In a post on X describing his meeting, Graham stated that “I asked [Haykal] if he believes Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. He said, ‘No, not in the context of Lebanon,’” and subsequently ended the conversation.
This week marked Haykal’s first visit to Washington since he assumed his position last year. The discussions focused on the ongoing U.S. support for the LAF, with the possibility of an increase.
Haykal was previously scheduled to meet ranking U.S. officials in Washington in November 2025 but were cancelled because of frustration over the LAF’s slow and hesitant approach towards Hezbollah disarmament.
Disarmament is a key objective for U.S. policymakers in their aid and policy towards Lebanon. While Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared the region south of the Litani River as fully under the Lebanese state’s operational control, U.S. officials are still concerned about continued Hezbollah presence, possession of arms, and its capacity to regroup.
With frustration in Washington over the LAF’s slow approach towards reclaiming Lebanon’s sovereignty, increasing scrutiny is being held towards Lebanon in pressuring the state to kickstart action.
On Tuesday, the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon, where experts and congressional representatives agreed that a multi-tiered approach towards dismantling Hezbollah institutions must be carried out alongside seizure of arms.
The testimonies also emphasized the need to condition aid and monetary support to the Lebanese state and the LAF on timely and performance-based milestones.
Later that day, U.S. lawmakers proposed a bill that would authorize President Donald Trump to sanction individuals within the Lebanese political system obstructing Lebanon’s electoral process.
Graham’s response underscores growing impatience in Washington with the Lebanese state’s approach to Hezbollah, as lawmakers increasingly push to tie U.S. assistance to measurable steps toward limiting the group’s influence and dismantling its armed capacity.
Comments