After 41-year ban, Trump clears way for direct US flights to Lebanon

Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will lift a four-decade-old ban on direct commercial flights between the United States and Lebanon, reopening a route that was shut down in 1985 after the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. The decision came after a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the first such visit by a Lebanese leader since 2009.

"I am directing my Administration to allow all U.S. airline carriers to fly directly to Lebanon so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful land," Trump wrote on social media. The original ban, imposed by Ronald Reagan, followed the hostage crisis that saw TWA Flight 847 diverted to Beirut and Algiers, with one American passenger killed. Trump said the U.S. would help Lebanon "a lot," though he offered no specifics on aid or military support.

Aoun's visit was aimed at securing long-term stability after months of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Washington has mediated rare direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, and Beirut hopes the discussions will lead to a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Trump said Israeli forces are "in the process of redeploying" but gave no timeline. Aoun praised Trump's "vision for peace," calling it his legacy. The flight announcement marks a symbolic thaw, even as broader Middle East tensions simmer.