Lebanese soldiers stationed on armored vehicles at the entrance of the border village of Naqoura, Jan. 7, 2025, following the Israeli withdrawal. (Credit: AFP)
The United States announced on Saturday that it will provide $117 million in security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces (ISF), according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.
"On Jan. 16, the U.S. Department of State held a virtual donor meeting with its partners and allies to discuss the essential security assistance Lebanon needs to fully implement the cessation of hostilities with Israel," the statement said, adding that this aid "will directly support the Lebanese Armed Forces and ISF in their efforts to assert Lebanon's sovereignty across the country and implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701."
On Jan. 7, the U.S. administration had announced the transfer of $95 million in military aid, initially allocated to Egypt, to the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.
U.S. media reported last week that the State Department had approved the sale of a new military aid package to Israel, valued at $8 billion. This comes after Washington previously allocated $8.7 billion in military aid to the Jewish state in late September, in addition to the $13 billion in extra aid already provided earlier in 2024.
Al-Arabiya reported on Saturday that “the European Union will approve 60 million euros in aid for the Lebanese Army, which will cover the army's deployment in the South for three years,” information that was not detailed but was picked up by numerous Lebanese news sites and other media.
