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.

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.

Morgan Ortagus, newly appointed US deputy special envoy for Middle East peace, urges Lebanese authorities to exclude Hezbollah from the new government. Despite Nawaf Salam's designation as prime minister,

Morgan Ortagus is heading a delegation and set to arrive in Lebanon on Thursday night, the first such visit by Trump administration officials.

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.