The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Tuesday his decision to authorize direct flights between his country and Lebanon, suspended for 40 years, after meeting at the White House with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun.
“After meeting with the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, who has done an extraordinary job in transforming his country, I am ordering my Administration to allow all American airlines to fly directly to Lebanon so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful land,” he wrote on his social network Truth.
LOOK HERE: Israeli forces open fire “near” Lebanese Army unit in withdrawal zone
Trump also expressed his wish that “other countries do the same” and resume air routes to the Arab country.
Direct flights between both countries have been suspended since the United States prohibited the Lebanese national airline, Middle East Airlines, from operating in its territory after the hijacking of two Trans World Airlines planes at Beirut airport by members of the Shiite group Hezbollah in 1985.
Currently, Americans traveling to Lebanon do so with layovers at airports such as Istanbul, Doha, or Dubai.
Trump’s announcement comes despite the U.S. Embassy in Beirut last week issuing a recommendation asking American citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon due to hostilities with Israel.
Trump received the Lebanese president at the White House this Tuesday to promote peace negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, neighboring countries in conflict that do not maintain diplomatic relations.
MORE INFORMATION: President of Lebanon travels to the United States at Donald Trump’s invitation to address truce with Israel
Both countries signed the so-called Trilateral Framework last June 26 in Washington, an agreement sponsored by the United States to implement a series of “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon, where a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces will begin, which must cede control to the Lebanese Army.
Despite the truce agreed in said agreement, Israel maintains attacks in Lebanon to combat what it considers the threat of Hezbollah, a group that opposes the negotiations.
Aoun is the first Lebanese head of state to visit the White House since Michel Sleiman met with then-President Barack Obama in 2009.
Read more FIL Lima 2026: guests, honorees, tickets, new venue and everything you need to know
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
