US denies Lebanese report that Ambassador Michael Issa got 'green light' to meet Hezbollah

United States Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa received the green light to meet with Hezbollah, according to a Lebanese report published Thursday evening, but a US official denied the report.Issa himself denied on Wednesday that he is currently holding any talks with Hezbollah, but said he would be willing to speak with the organization if it had something to offer.Last week, the United States announced new sanctions against Hezbollah, while also updating the basis for its designation as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" (SDGT) organization, in a move that emphasizes the group's activities on behalf of the Iranian regime and under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force.A US official clarified that the move does not add Hezbollah to a new sanctions list. The organization was already designated under this authority in 2001 and is also classified by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The current change is intended to more explicitly link Hezbollah's activities to Iran and the Quds Force.Israel says Lebanese army not acting effectively against HezbollahEarlier Thursday, Israel conveyed a message to the United States through security channels that the pilot program in southern Lebanon, which began following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Beirut and Jerusalem, has failed.Israel provided information regarding the Lebanese army's activities and expressed its dissatisfaction, to put it mildly, with the Lebanese army's operations against Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure and operatives in the area. The IDF has criticized the Lebanese army's performance, arguing that it is not operating effectively against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.According to assessments by senior IDF officials, Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal continues to cooperate with Hezbollah, fears confrontation with commanders of the Shi'ite organization in southern Lebanon, and is ineffective in conducting searches, locating terrorist infrastructure, and finding weapons caches.