U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus said she was "not afraid" of Iran-backed Hezbollah because it was defeated by Israel, stressing the group should not be part of the new Lebanese government.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar met Morgan Ortagus, US President Trump's deputy special envoy to the Middle East, and the two held discussions on the current situation in Lebanon and other regional issues.

Morgan Ortagus reaffirmed the Trump administration position that Hezbollah cannot be part of the next Lebanese government, even as Beirut warned that this could create a parliamentarian crisis.

A newly appointed U.S. envoy says she hopes Lebanese authorities are committed to making sure that the Hezbollah militant group is not a part of the new government in any form.

Hezbollah slammed remarks by US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus as 'blatant interference'

Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia, has long been the country’s dominant political force and has formed part of the government for decades.

The leader of Lebanon's Shiite Muslim religious community shot back at US envoy Morgan Ortagus, who said on Friday that the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement should play no role in Lebanon's new government.