Ortagus in Beirut amid fears of escalating tensions with Israel; leaks reveal meeting with Berri

28 October 2025, 8:43 AM

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أورتاغوس في بيروت - Ortagus in Beirut — Lebanese presidency

Ortagus in Beirut declines statements as leaks reveal her meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri

U.S. Deputy Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived in Beirut on Monday amid rising tensions with Israel, with concerns over a potential new Israeli air campaign against Hezbollah.

According to the Lebanese news agency, Ortagus aims during her visit to prevent a deterioration of the situation or an expansion of the tensions with Israel. Local media reported that the U.S. envoy conveyed information about arms smuggling from Syria to Lebanon, clarifying that the U.S. administration has not verified these reports and has not adopted the Israeli narrative, while expressing concern if the reports are confirmed.

Rajji - Ortagus — US Embassy Beirut, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources indicated that Ortagus presented Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri with two options for addressing the conflict: direct negotiations with Israel or indirect talks through the Mechanism Committee, with the possibility of expanding participation to include civilians.

This follows warnings from another U.S. envoy, Tom Barrett, who stated that Hezbollah could face a new confrontation with Israel if Lebanese authorities do not take steps to disarm the group, while European experts indicated that a broader Israeli strike against Lebanon may be only a matter of time.