Rubio reaffirms US support for Lebanon, stresses Hezbollah disarmament

The United States reaffirmed its support for Lebanon during a Friday phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, with Washington stressing the need to disarm Hezbollah to ensure national sovereignty. The two discussed the current situation in Lebanon and the wider region. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio commended Aoun’s “courage in pursuing a historic opportunity” for the nation’s recovery.

Ceasefire and negotiations

Rubio stressed that the US “stands with Lebanon” and would work to achieve “security and stability,” ensure “the extension of state authority over all its territory,” and support Lebanon’s legitimate institutions. Aoun thanked Rubio for US support and stressed the need to halt Israeli attacks through a “comprehensive ceasefire,” which he called a cornerstone for progress in Lebanese‑US‑Israeli negotiations scheduled for next week in Washington. The State Department confirmed the talks will take place Tuesday through Thursday.

Hezbollah and regional context

Rubio reiterated the “need to disarm” Hezbollah to “re‑establish control” over all Lebanese territory, asserting that a sovereign state must be “at peace with all its neighbours.” He underscored that bilateral negotiations with Israel represent the “only feasible path” toward reconstruction and ending “recurrent cycles of violence.” The call came after a new ceasefire took effect Friday. Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 3,912 people and displaced over one million in Lebanon.