Tillerson blasts Hizballah, one day after softening his rhetoric

"Hizballah's presence in Syria has only perpetuated the bloodshed, increased the displacement of innocent people and propped up the barbaric Assad regime," Tillerson said.

"Their presence in Iraq and Yemen has also fueled violence. And the consequences of Hizballah's involvement in these far-off conflicts – which have nothing to do with Lebanon – are felt here," he added.

Tillerson's remarks, which were made during a joint press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, are a sharp departure from comments the secretary of state made yesterday about "acknowledging the reality" that Hizballah is part of Lebanon's political process.

Earlier in the day, Tillerson met with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace, Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, all allies of Hizballah.

Tillerson was seen waiting for several minutes ahead of his meeting with Aoun, prompting questions about tardiness. Aoun's press office explained the incident as Tillerson arriving a few minutes early.

Speaking to reporters later on, Tillerson said breaking the "stalemate" with Israel over gas drilling rights in the disputed maritime border area between Lebanon and Israel is a priority – more than 300 square miles of water are claimed by the two countries.

The maritime dispute recently resurfaced after Lebanon signed a deal with an international consortium to begin exploratory drilling next year.

The US has been trying to mediate the dispute, and Tillerson suggested Israel should stop building a controversial border wall between the two countries until all border disputes are settled.

Tillerson is the most senior official from the Trump administration to visit Lebanon to date, and his trip marks the first secretary of state to arrive in Beirut in four years.