Hezbollah stays out of Iran-Israel war as US envoy Tom Barrack visits Beirut

Middle East deputy special envoy Morgan Ortagus will not fly in, amid speculation she will be given a new role

The National understands US envoy Tom Barrack, who is of Lebanese origin, is due in Beirut on Thursday. AP

Hezbollah will stay out of the Iran-Israel conflict even if the US joins the air war, a source with the group told The National on Wednesday as an American envoy flies in to Lebanon.

The Hezbollah source denied reports attributed to an Iranian official that it would enter the conflict on Iran's side if the US intervenes.

“Iran can defend itself,” said the source, who added that any such decision would be made by Hezbollah and not by Iranian authorities.

US special envoy for Syria and ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack is expected to arrive in Beirut on Thursday to meet Lebanon's leaders, sources told The National, as the region reels from open warfare between Israel and Iran.

Mr Barrack – who is of Lebanese origin – will not be accompanied by Morgan Ortagus, deputy US special envoy to the Middle East, amid speculation she will no longer oversee the Lebanon file and will take on a new role in the US administration.

Political sources told The National they did not know what message Mr Barrack would deliver from Washington, but he is expected to raise the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament, a crucial component of the group's November ceasefire deal with Israel that brought 14 months of conflict to a near halt.

“There’s a ceasefire that Lebanon is committed to,” one of the Lebanese sources said. "We want them [Israel] to commit also."

The source was referring to continued bombardments by Israel since the truce was signed. The agreement called for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and for Hezbollah to disarm. While the militant group has largely stood down, allowing the Lebanese army to move into southern Lebanon, Israel continues to occupy parts of the country and launch air strikes.

Israel still has a presence at five locations in southern Lebanon and has been mounting near-daily attacks on what it claims to be Hezbollah infrastructure.

On Monday, an Israeli drone struck the town of Houla in southern Lebanon, killing a beekeeper. The Israeli army said it had hit a Hezbollah operative.

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The Israeli attacks on Lebanon have lessened in frequency since the outbreak of war with Iran last week, although they have not stopped entirely, one of the sources told The National.

“My estimation is that the Israelis don’t want to mess with Lebanon because they’re trying to dedicate themselves to fighting Iran full-time,” the source said.

As the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates, Tehran-backed Hezbollah, weakened after months of fighting, remains unable to aid its ally from Lebanese territory. By far most of the group’s arsenal and infrastructure in Lebanon, south of the Litani River, has been either confiscated or destroyed by the Lebanese army under the terms of the ceasefire.

Washington has pressed Lebanese officials to fully and rapidly disarm Hezbollah, a demand Lebanese leaders say is difficult because of Israel's occupation, attacks and domestic political constraints.

Ms Ortagus had been expected to visit Beirut this month to push for quicker disarming of Hezbollah and its allies.