A top US official visiting the Lebanese capital on Thursday discouraged Tehran-backed armed group Hezbollah from intervening in the war between Iran and Israel, saying it would be a “very bad decision”.

US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack, who also serves as ambassador to Turkey, met Lebanese officials in Beirut as the US continues to press Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah.

After meeting Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah, Barrack was asked what may happen if Hezbollah joined in the regional conflict.

“I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump, who has been very clear in expressing, as has Special Envoy (Steve) Witkoff: that would be a very, very, very bad decision,” Barrack told reporters.

Hezbollah has condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran and expressed full solidarity with its leadership.

On Thursday, it said threats against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would have “dire consequences”.

But the group has stopped short of making explicit threats to intervene.