US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with Prime Minister Saad Hariri today in Beirut where he offered Washington's support for a free and democratic Lebanon. <br/><br/>Tillerson's visit, part of a tour of the West Asia, comes at a time of tension between Lebanon and neighbouring Israel, notably over the role of Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. <br/><br/>The Iran-backed group, a member of Hariri's government, is an arch-foe of Israel and branded a "terrorist" organisation by the United States. It is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has fighters on the ground in the war-torn country supporting the regime.<br/><br/>Hezbollah's influence was at the heart of a political crisis in Lebanon over Hariri's shock resignation announced from Saudi Arabia in November that was later rescinded.<br/><br/>After his talks in Beirut, Tillerson was due to head to Turkey seeking to ease tensions with the NATO ally over Ankara's ongoing operation against a US-backed Kurdish militia inside Syria.