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.

The United States has demanded that Hezbollah must not be part of Lebanon’s government. Washington’s Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Ortagus said on Friday after meeting Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun that she was “not afraid” of the armed group “because they’ve been defeated militarily”.

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

President Donald Trump's envoy is set to deliver a firm message to Lebanese leaders during a visit on Thursday: the U.S. will not tolerate the unchecked influence of Hezbollah and its allies over the formation of a new government.

The U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace said repeatedly Friday that Hezbollah had been "militarily defeated" and that she hoped the Lebanese authorities were committed to ensuring the militant group doesn't form part of any new government.

A senior US official visiting Beirut warned Friday against any Hezbollah presence in Lebanon's new government, saying the Iran-backed group was "defeated" in its war with Israel. "Hezbollah was defeated by Israel and we are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah,