Beirut: As the volatile crucible of the Middle East churns with direct exchanges between Iran and Israel, a powerful voice from Washington echoed through Beirut today, drawing a stark line in the sand. U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, delivered an unequivocal message to the Iran-backed Hezbollah: entering the fray of this burgeoning conflict would be a "very, very, very bad decision."
Barrack, also serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, made his pronouncement during a crucial visit to the Lebanese capital, where he engaged with top officials, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key ally of Hezbollah. The warning, delivered on behalf of President Donald Trump, underscores the profound concern in Washington over a wider regional conflagration.
The backdrop to this diplomatic intervention is grim. The conflict between Iran and Israel, now in its seventh day, has seen missile attacks and counter-strikes reverberate across the region. While Hezbollah has condemned Israel's actions and expressed solidarity with Tehran, it has, crucially, refrained from launching its own direct attacks on Israel in this latest escalation. Sources indicate that Hezbollah, still reeling from significant losses in its conflict with Israel last year, may be reluctant to plunge into another devastating confrontation.
The U.S. continues to press Lebanon to ensure state monopoly over all arms, a stipulation of the ceasefire deal that ended last year's Hezbollah-Israel war. Barrack’s meetings with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun further emphasized Washington's commitment to regional stability and the disarming of non-state actors.
This high-stakes diplomacy highlights the delicate balance of power and the intricate web of alliances in a region perpetually on edge. The question now looms: Will the stark warning from the U.S. be enough to keep Hezbollah on the sidelines, or will the swirling currents of the Iran-Israel war inevitably drag more players into its dangerous vortex.