**U.S. Special Envoy Calls Lebanon a “Failed State” Amid Shifting Middle East Dynamics**
*BEIRUT (AP)* — The U.S. special envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, described Lebanon as “a failed state” on Saturday, highlighting Washington’s growing frustration with Beirut’s “paralyzed government.” His remarks came as Syria moves toward closer ties with the United States.
Speaking at the Manama Dialogue summit in Bahrain during a panel discussion on “U.S. Policy in the Levant,” Barrack praised recent developments in Syria following the downfall of Bashar Assad in December. He confirmed that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is expected to visit Washington on November 10 — the first such visit by a Syrian president since the country’s independence in 1946.
Barrack also announced that Syria is expected to join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS), describing the move as “a big step” and “remarkable.” The coalition includes some 80 countries working to prevent a resurgence of IS.
### Lebanon and Hezbollah: A Regional Challenge
Regarding Lebanon, Barrack pointedly stated that it remains the only state in the region “not jumping in line” with the new Middle East realignments. “The state is Hezbollah,” he said, referring to the Iran-backed group that provides for its supporters and fighters in ways the Lebanese state cannot, in a country where basic services like electricity and water are chronically unreliable.
He added, “It is really up to the Lebanese. America is not going to get deeper involved in the situation with a foreign terrorist organization and a failed state dictating the pace and asking for more resources and more money and more help.”
### U.S. Position on Regional Disputes
Barrack further stated that the U.S. would not intervene in regional disputes but would support its ally Israel if aggression toward Lebanon escalates. In recent months, Israel has intensified its strikes on southern Lebanon. Both sides accuse each other of violating a ceasefire, which nominally ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war last November.
The conflict reignited following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza. Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians, prompting Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling. These low-level exchanges escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024.
### Ongoing Tensions Along the Israel-Lebanon Border
Since the ceasefire agreement, Israel has carried out near-daily strikes across southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah militants, weapons depots, and command centers. Israeli forces have also maintained positions on several strategic points inside Lebanese territory.
Lebanese officials have accused Israel of striking civilian areas and destroying infrastructure unrelated to Hezbollah. They have called on Israeli forces to withdraw and respect Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Barrack explained that Israel continues bombing southern Lebanon because “thousands of rockets and missiles” remain there, posing a significant threat. However, he acknowledged the complexities on the ground: “It is not reasonable for us to tell Lebanon to forcibly disarm one of its political parties everybody is scared to death to go into a civil war.”
### Diplomatic Efforts Toward De-escalation
Barrack emphasized that the path forward requires dialogue, stating, “The path is very clear that it needs to be to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv for a conversation along with Syria. Syria is showing the way.” He noted that Syria and Israel are expected to hold a fifth round of de-escalation discussions.
The United States is leading a diplomatic push involving Syria and Israel, who are engaged in direct negotiations to reduce tensions and restore a 1974 ceasefire agreement. That agreement created a demilitarized separation zone between Israeli and Syrian forces and stationed a U.N. peacekeeping force to maintain calm.
### Rising Tensions Between Syria and Israel
Tensions have surged between Syria and Israel following the overthrow of Assad in December during a swift rebel offensive led by Islamist insurgents. Shortly after Assad’s ouster, Israeli forces took control of the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in Syria established under the 1974 agreement and launched airstrikes on military sites. Israeli officials said these actions aimed to create a demilitarized zone south of Damascus.
Israel has declared it will not permit hostile forces to establish themselves along the frontier, as Iranian-backed groups did during Assad’s rule. The Israeli government remains distrustful of Syria’s new leadership, which is now headed by former Islamist insurgents.
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*This report highlights the evolving political and military dynamics in the Levant as the U.S. recalibrates its approach toward Syria and expresses concern over Lebanon’s stability amid ongoing regional conflicts.*
https://wtop.com/world/2025/11/us-envoy-calls-lebanon-a-failed-state-as-syria-expected-to-join-anti-is-coalition/
