Secretary Rubio’s Call with Lebanese President Aoun

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The Secretary commended President Aoun’s courage and vision in pursuing direct negotiations with Israel, even as Hizballah continues its attempts to derail those talks at the expense of the Lebanese people. He reiterated that Hizballah is entirely responsible for the ongoing fighting and emphasized the need for Hizballah to immediately cease its attacks and provocations to enable de-escalation. The Secretary reaffirmed that the United States fully supports the Government of Lebanon as it works to seize a historic opportunity to deliver peace, reconstruction, and a better future for its people.