Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met on Friday with a delegation from the U.S. Congress, led by Representative Darrell Issa. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral ties and exploring avenues of support for Lebanon amid its ongoing challenges.

The meeting, attended by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, saw the U.S. delegation extend its congratulations to Prime Minister Salam and reaffirm its country's ongoing support for Lebanon. The delegation emphasized its commitment to assisting Lebanon across various sectors, including political, economic, and military support, with particular focus on sustaining aid to the Lebanese Army.

Prime Minister Salam took the opportunity to highlight Lebanon's pressing concerns, particularly regarding the Israeli occupation of certain areas in southern Lebanon. He strongly emphasized the need for the U.S. to exert pressure on Israel to fully withdraw from the areas it continues to occupy, which, according to Salam, constitutes a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and international law.

Salam stressed that there was no military or security justification for Israel’s continued presence in these areas, asserting that it represents a breach of the long-standing ceasefire arrangements, UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and international law. He reiterated that Israel’s actions undermine Lebanon's sovereignty and demand urgent international attention and intervention.