Graham ends meeting with Lebanese Army Commander over stance on Hezbollah

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham announced the termination of a "very short" meeting with Lebanese Army Commander General Rudolph Haikal, following a sharp disagreement over the classification of Hezbollah.

Graham stated that he asked Haikal directly whether he considers Hezbollah a "terrorist organization." According to Graham, the Lebanese Army Commander replied, "No, not in the context of the Lebanese situation," which prompted Graham to end the meeting immediately.

The U.S. Senator asserted that Hezbollah is "clearly a terrorist organization," emphasizing that it has "American blood on its hands," referring to the targeting of U.S. Marines in Lebanon. He added that the group has been on U.S. terror lists since 1997 by both Republican and Democratic administrations "for good reason."

Graham argued that the Lebanese Army's continued stance raises questions about its status as a "reliable partner" to the United States. He criticized what he described as "double-talk in the Middle East," stating that "too much is at stake and there is no room for pleasantries."