A senior U.S. envoy to Lebanon said on Tuesday that Hezbollah has “zero incentive” to disarm, pointing to repeated Israeli strikes in the region that he argued bolster the terrorist group’s claims of defending Lebanon. His remarks in an interview with UAE-based IMI media stirred debate by appearing to link Israel to reported attacks in Tunisia.
Thomas Barrack, the Trump administration’s envoy for Lebanon, said the problem lies in Israel "attacking everybody" and added that such actions make Hezbollah’s argument stronger. “Israel is attacking Syria. Israel is attacking Lebanon. Israel is attacking Tunisia. As it goes on, their argument gets better and better as we’re here to protect the weapons from Israel,” he said.
US envoy to Lebanon Thomas Barrack
He did not directly confirm claims that an Israeli drone targeted a pro-Gaza aid flotilla docked in Tunisia earlier this month, though his comments were widely interpreted that way.
Jordan’s King Abdullah echoed the accusation in a speech to the UN General Assembly, charging that Israel had operated in Tunisia as well as in Lebanon, Iran, Syria and, most recently, Qatar. He said Israel showed disregard for the sovereignty of its neighbors and warned that inflammatory rhetoric over Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque risked igniting a religious war. The king argued that Palestinian statehood is not a “reward” but a right.
Earlier this month, activists on a flotilla ship docked in Tunisia claimed they were attacked on consecutive nights by drones. Tunisia’s National Guard dismissed the first report, saying the blast came from inside the vessel, but the American envoy’s remarks fueled speculation online.
In the same interview, Barrack described peace in the Middle East as an “illusion,” saying the region had seen 27 ceasefires and “none of them worked.” He stressed that Israel’s actions must be understood in the context of Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault, which he called a turning point. He also dismissed recent international recognition of a Palestinian state as “unhelpful.”
Moment of impact on Gaza aid flotilla boat that sparked fire on deck
On Israel’s failed strike in Doha against senior Hamas negotiators, Barrack said the incident shocked the Gulf but caused no lasting damage to U.S. relations with Qatar, a “valued ally” that Washington says was not informed of the plan.
Addressing tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border, Barrack said Israel continues to hold five key positions while Hezbollah rebuilds its forces. He insisted that responsibility for disarming Hezbollah rests with Lebanon’s government. “If the government wants stability, it must make clear it intends to disarm Hezbollah,” he said, acknowledging Beirut’s hesitation over fears of civil war.
He praised the Lebanese army as “the only available force on the ground,” calling it capable but under-equipped. He stressed Washington would not arm the military to fight Israel or wage war against its own citizens but said U.S. efforts focus on halting Hezbollah’s funding, which he called the only path to weakening the group.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed surprise at Barrack's remarks, saying they cast doubt on his government and the army. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Salam reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to cabinet decisions, reforms and extending state authority across its territory while restricting weapons to official forces. He voiced confidence in the Lebanese army’s ability to defend the country and called on the international community to strengthen support for it while pressing Israel to withdraw from occupied land and halt repeated strikes.