Hezbollah blasts Lebanese president's return from US with 'empty rhetoric'

Hezbollah resistance movement has said the Lebanese government is undermining national sovereignty and compromising the country's unity by making repeated concessions to Israel under a US-mediated framework agreement.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the movement's Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc criticized the government's handling of recent developments, describing the recent visit to Washington by a Lebanese delegation as a failure.

The bloc said that the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is aligned with Western interests, and failed during his latest visit to the United States to secure progress towards ending Israeli aggression, achieving the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, or facilitating the return of displaced people.

Instead, it said, the visit amounted to an attempt to "capitalize on an illusion."

Meanwhile, senior Hezbollah lawmaker Hussein al-Hajj Hassan said the outcome of Aoun's visit to Washington amounted to "empty rhetoric" and promises without guarantees.

Hussein al-Hajj Hassan added that the meeting between Aoun and US President Donald Trump produced no concrete results.

"What transpired in Washington during the meeting between Joseph Aoun and Trump amounted to nothing more than generic American rhetoric and unguaranteed promises, with no timeline set for the redeployment of forces and no progress or achievements realized," Hajj Hassan said.

He also criticized the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, saying it contains no explicit provision requiring the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

Responding to Trump's remarks suggesting the possibility of contacts with Hezbollah, Hajj Hassan dismissed the idea.

"We have no time to address such worthless talk, and there will never be any dialogue with those who attack us, destroy our lands and homes, and kill our people," he said.

The senior Hezbollah lawmaker also said the movement's coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces remains strong and is based on mutual trust, adding that no one would be able to disarm the resistance.

Hajj Hassan further criticized the Lebanese government's handling of the ceasefire agreement, saying it should have been approved by both the Council of Ministers and parliament. He said bypassing those institutions was widening the gap between the government and the Lebanese people.

Aoun met with US officials in Washington on Wednesday, a day after meeting Trump in the Oval Office and calling him a “great president” — even as US-made bombs struck Lebanon.

During the meeting, Aoun said his government remained committed to implementing the controversial US-brokered agreement signed last month between Lebanon and the Israeli regime, a deal that experts say violates Lebanese law.

Trump also floated the possibility of a potential attack on Hezbollah by the militant regime in Syria led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, describing it as "a concept." Trump has repeatedly called for such an incursion. Aoun did not respond publicly to the remark.

Hezbollah has denounced Aoun and other Lebanese officials for remaining silent over Trump's remarks.

Israeli soldiers say looting, destruction ‘primary mission’ in southern Lebanon

Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon engaged in systemic looting and village destruction with commanders turning a blind eye, describing an "unofficial mission" to collect spoils, according to Haaretz testimonies.

Aoun falsely claimed the US-brokered agreement did not require parliamentary approval and that he, as president, had the authority to ratify it.

“Berri is actually supportive of what we are doing,” Aoun said.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, however, has vowed to lead political opposition to the controversial US-mediated agreement and pledged to block its ratification in parliament.

Since the Aoun-Trump meeting, Israeli occupation forces have continued demolishing civilian infrastructure and carrying out attacks across southern Lebanon. The demolitions, which have continued for months, have recently intensified, with entire villages reportedly wiped out.

More than 4,000 people have been killed and over one million displaced since Israel launched its latest aggression against Lebanon on March 2.

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