In particular… Washington will bolster the LAF’s capabilities to counter Hezbollah
A US defense official told Sky News Arabia that the Biden administration wants to activate the Lebanese army’s capabilities to confront Hezbollah and contain Tehran’s influence in Lebanon.
The official clarified that the administration of President Joe Biden knows that Tehran plays an active and influential role in Lebanon through the Hezbollah organization, and thus will continue to hold on to its influence in this country despite the possible rapprochement to the level of indirect talks with Tehran related to its nuclear file.
The official, who asked not to be named, added that the security team of President Joe Biden’s administration wants to activate the capabilities of the Lebanese Army in order to confront the Hezbollah organization, which is on the terrorist list in Washington, and prevent the fall of Lebanese state security institutions to the organization.
The official predicted that the Lebanese army will be provided with “important” assistance until the end of the current year, and also in balancing the foreign arms sales for next year’s budget.
The official revealed that Washington’s main allies in the Arab region support the trend of supporting the Lebanese security forces, foremost among them the army, despite the internal conditions in Lebanon, and that there is a consensus on the importance of activating the army and its role in all Lebanese territories.
The official noted that the Tehran regime “may resort to making concessions in other countries such as Yemen, but it will continue to hold on to the Lebanese card, which represents a strategic weight for Tehran’s policies in destabilizing the region, specifically those surrounding Israel.”
The official ruled out that the Biden administration would impose any new sanctions on Lebanese officials linked to Hezbollah in the near term, only saying that the only policy now emerging is to support the Lebanese army and push for the stability of government institutions with a security role.
Two days ago, during a teleconference with Lebanese army leaders, administration officials pledged to boost American military aid and provide emergency assistance of about $15 million.
