The U.S. State Department on Tuesday condemned a legal complaint filed against Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad over reports that she contacted her Israeli counterpart, describing the case as embarrassing and warning that Washington would not tolerate obstruction of diplomatic efforts.

The complaint was filed by Lebanese lawyer Hassan Adel Bazzi and referred by the country’s public prosecutor to Judge Claude Ghanem, the government commissioner at Lebanon’s military court. The referral does not constitute formal charges or confirm that an investigation has begun. The commissioner’s office must determine whether further legal action is warranted.

The dispute centers on a report published last month by the Lebanese outlet Beirut Review, which cited Western diplomatic sources claiming Moawad had called Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter to express sympathy after his son was seriously injured.

Neria Leiter, an Israeli army reservist, was critically wounded Sept. 23 when a vehicle rammed a checkpoint near the West Bank settlement of Beit Horon. Moawad has neither confirmed nor denied the reported conversation.

A State Department spokesperson told CBS News that it was “embarrassing that a military court is handling a complaint” against Moawad for “carrying out the policy of their legitimate government and engaging in U.S.-led negotiations.”

The department also criticized Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group operating in Lebanon, and described Bazzi as pro-Hezbollah. A State Department official argued that Lebanon’s military judiciary should prioritize threats to the country’s government rather than pursue a diplomat involved in negotiations.

“The Lebanese military judiciary should use its limited resources to prosecute Hizballah operatives” plotting against the government, the official said, while calling for the repeal of laws and practices that enable the “politicized targeting” of civilians and diplomats.

The statement appeared to reference Lebanon’s 1955 anti-normalization law, which restricts contact between Lebanese and Israeli citizens as part of longstanding Arab League measures against Israel. Critics argue the law can be used to discourage efforts to establish peaceful relations between the neighboring countries.

A diplomatic source told CBS News that the law has become “a tool used by Hezbollah to suppress those who seek peace.”

The controversy threatens to complicate U.S.-backed negotiations aimed at improving relations between Lebanon and Israel, which have technically been at war since 1948.

On June 26, Moawad and Leiter signed a framework agreement at the State Department in the presence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The agreement established a process intended to dismantle Hezbollah and restore Lebanese control over territory held by Israeli forces.

Progress has since stalled over disagreements about the sequence of Israel’s withdrawal and Hezbollah’s disarmament. An August round of negotiations in Rome ended without a breakthrough, although another round is expected this month.

The complaint has exposed divisions within Lebanon over whether contact with Israeli officials should be treated as a criminal matter or as part of a diplomatic effort to reduce tensions.

Bazzi accused Washington of interfering in Lebanon’s judicial system and argued that the reported conversation warranted scrutiny. “There is an incident that requires investigation,” he said, according to The New Arab.

Samy Gemayel, leader of Lebanon’s Kataeb Party and a critic of Hezbollah, joined others in defending Moawad and calling the referral unacceptable.

Lebanon’s military court has previously faced allegations of Hezbollah influence, adding to concerns about whether the complaint could be used to undermine diplomatic engagement.

As of Wednesday, it remained unclear whether the referral would lead to a formal investigation or criminal charges. The State Department’s criticism underscored Washington’s concern that legal action against Moawad could interfere with negotiations intended to advance security and diplomatic objectives in the region.