CAIRO, (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Wednesday the insistence of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group on imposing its will in Lebanon was a major reason for the country’s crisis, according to Saudi state TV and a foreign ministry statement. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also said Riyadh was concerned that no tangible results had been reached in investigations into the Beirut port explosion that devastated swathes of the capital a year ago. He said any assistance to Lebanon would be linked to serious reforms there. A donor conference to raise emergency aid for Lebanon’s crippled economy on Wednesday raised $370 million, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said.

by thehill.com — Biden pledges $100 million in aid to Lebanon on anniversary of Beirut blast

President Biden said Wednesday that the United States would contribute nearly $100 million in additional humanitarian assistance as he marked the one-year anniversary of the explosion at the port of Beirut that killed and injured thousands of people. “On this day of mourning, I send my deepest condolences to all those who were injured or lost loved ones and all those who are still struggling to recover from this trauma,” Biden said in a video released by the White House. “We also recognize that the people of Lebanon have suffered more over the past year because of avoidable political and economic crises.” Biden said that his administration would contribute nearly $100 million in new humanitarian aid to Lebanon in addition to the $560 million provided by the U.S. over the past two years. The president went on to urge other leaders to “step up their support for the Lebanese people.”