BEIRUT
Dozens of supporters of the Lebanese group Hezbollah on Friday protested in Beirut against remarks by US deputy special envoy to the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, following her meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Ortagus said that Hezbollah will no longer "be able to terrorize the Lebanese people" and went on to thank Israel for "defeating the group" during their last round of fighting that was halted on Nov. 27.
According to the Lebanese state news agency NNA, dozens of people gathered near the entrance gate of the Beirut airport, protesting Ortagus' remarks.
The press office of the Lebanese Presidency also issued a statement, stressing that her remarks "don't concern the Lebanese Presidency."
Ortagus is the first senior US official to visit Lebanon since US President Donald Trump took office and President Joseph Aoun was also elected in January.
Her visit is part of a broader Middle East tour that includes stops in Israel and possibly Jordan.
The visit comes amid an ongoing political deadlock in Lebanon, where the formation of a new government, led by designated Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, remains stalled due to political disagreements.
