U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio [Reuters=Yonhap News file photo]

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on the 19th (local time) to discuss the implementation of the peace agreement between Lebanon and Israel, which was previously mediated by the United States.

The U.S. Department of State announced this in a statement released by spokesperson Tommy Pigott on the same day.

The State Department stated, "Secretary Rubio commended the Lebanese government's firm commitment, under President Aoun's leadership, to restoring Lebanon's sovereignty, pursuing the disarmament of Hezbollah, dismantling its terrorist infrastructure, and moving toward peace."

The statement added, "Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States' commitment to supporting the successful implementation of the trilateral agreement and to backing the Lebanese government's efforts to realize peace, economic recovery, and a better future for the Lebanese people."

After Israel and the United States launched military operations against Iran on February 28, the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel, and Israel responded with airstrikes targeting Hezbollah within Lebanon, leading to continued armed conflict between the two sides.

Although the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on ending the war, signed by the U.S. and Iran, included provisions to terminate military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah persisted for some time, serving as a source of instability for the ceasefire.

Consequently, Israel and Lebanon signed a basic peace agreement on the 26th of last month, mediated by the U.S., to end the armed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The agreement was concluded in the form of a trilateral pact that also included the United States.

While the U.S.-Iran MOU on ending the war was effectively neutralized by the subsequent resumption of military hostilities between the two sides, the U.S. continues to support the implementation of the peace agreement to prevent the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese front from escalating.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun [Reuters=Yonhap News file photo]