Trump lifts 41-year ban on direct US flights to Lebanon after meeting with President Aoun
President Trump announced Tuesday that US carriers may resume direct flights to Lebanon, reversing a ban imposed by Ronald Reagan in 1985 after the TWA Flight 847 hijacking. The move followed a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who sought US support for lasting calm after months of Israel-Hezbollah war.
A decades-old ban ends
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that American carriers would be permitted to resume direct flights to Lebanon, ending a suspension that had been in place for more than four decades. The ban was originally imposed by the Reagan administration in 1985 following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. Trump made the announcement in a social media post after a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
I am hereby directing my Administration to allow all U.S. airline carriers to fly directly to Lebanon so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful land.
The move marks a symbolic shift in US-Lebanon relations, which have been strained by years of regional conflict and the dominance of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Diplomatic push for calm
Aoun's visit to Washington, the first by a Lebanese president since 2009, was aimed at securing long-term calm after months of war between Israel and Hezbollah. During the meeting, Trump pledged to help Lebanon "a lot" and described the country as having been "very badly treated."
It's been a very badly treated place and country and we're going to have it properly treated and treated with the respect it deserves.
Aoun praised Trump's approach, telling him, "Your vision is peace," and calling it Trump's "legacy." The US has been pushing for peace in Lebanon but has been distracted by a new round of escalation in Iran, which has destabilized much of the Middle East. Trump recently indicated little interest in talks with Iran's leader to end that war.
Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament
Lebanon hopes the Washington talks will lead to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from large parts of southern Lebanon and bolster the Lebanese military's ability to assert control in areas previously held by Hezbollah. Trump said Israeli forces were "in the process of redeploying" but offered no further details.
A "framework agreement" announced on June 26 outlines a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw and for Hezbollah to disarm. Implementation was slated to begin in small pilot zones. The US State Department confirmed on Monday that operations had commenced in three villages: Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbieh. While the Lebanese army was already present in Froun and Srifa, Israeli forces had previously occupied a section of Zawtar al-Gharbieh. The Lebanese army reported deploying troops there on Tuesday.
We will adjust our force posture in one of the pilot areas in order to enable the Lebanese Armed Forces to carry out their mission.
- Reagan administration suspends direct US-Lebanon flights after TWA Flight 847 hijacking
- Framework agreement announced for Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament
- Operations begin in three pilot-zone villages: Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbieh
- Trump lifts flight ban; Lebanese army deploys in Zawtar al-Gharbieh
What comes next
Trump's announcement on flights and his broader pledges of assistance came without concrete details on aid or a timeline for Israeli withdrawal. The resumption of direct air links is a tangible step, but the larger security framework remains fragile. Lebanon is seeking not only a full Israeli pullout but also international support to strengthen its military and curb Hezbollah's influence. The US, meanwhile, remains preoccupied with the escalating conflict in Iran, leaving the pace of implementation uncertain.
