Pompeo says Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis present risks to Middle East stability

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on Wednesday, described Hezbollah as a risk to Middle East stability and conferred with Israel about the Iranian-backed Lebanese group ahead of a trip to Beirut. Pompeo has been on a regional tour to promote the Trump administration’s policy against Iran. Meeting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem, Pompeo listed Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas and Yemen’s Houthis as “entities that present risks to Middle East stability and to Israel.” In public remarks at the meeting, Pompeo said: “They are determined to wipe this country off the face of the planet and we have a moral obligation and a political one to prevent that from happening. You should know that the US is prepared to do that.” The US top diplomat’s visit to Jerusalem is widely seen in Israel as a boost for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just three weeks before a closely contested Israeli election, Reuters said.