US sends military aid to Lebanon to suppress Lebanese resistance
The US provided military aid of $95 million to prop up the Lebanese Armed Forces against Lebanese resistance forces, that was formerly allocated to Egypt, according to Middle East Monitor on January 7th.
This news comes amid tensions between the LAF and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, and Lebanese efforts to maintain a ceasefire with Israel.
These funds are apparently part of a broader plan to equip the LAF with the $400 million required to enforce state control and quash Hezbollah presence, particularly in southern Lebanon.
US envoy Amos Hochstein chaired a meeting recently in Naqoura, a municipality in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are withdrawing following the November 2024 Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement. The LAF has been deployed to these areas, aiming to take control over Hezbollah territories and weaponry stores.
The US State Department referred to the LAF as ‘a key partner’ in preventing Hezbollah from bolstering Lebanese sovereignty. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken emphasised the need for ongoing support towards security operations in Beirut during talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan.
Lebanese resistance forces have recently gained more political legitimacy and legality in light of recent Israeli breaches of ceasefire agreements and threats. However, US interests continue to align with suppressing this resistance
Earlier last year, the LAF was recipient of a $25 million donation from the US to bolster its naval capabilities, according to US Ambassador Lisa Johnson.
The redirection of the funding from Egypt also occurs amid mounting concerns over Egypt’s spotty human rights record, which includes unjust political arrests and suppressions of freedom of speech, although the US granted Cairo $1.3 billion in military aid in September 2024.
Middle East Monitor
