The US has approved a potential $35 million deal to sell 90 Humvee military vehicles to the Lebanese army, which is currently under intense pressure from Washington to disarm Hezbollah.
The deal was announced by Washington's Defence Security Co-operation Agency, which said the 90 Humvees requested were in addition to 50 previously ordered.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that continues to be an important force for political and economic stability in the Middle East,” the agency said.
“The proposed sale will provide a highly mobile and light combat vehicle capability enabling Lebanese Armed Forces to rapidly engage and defeat perimeter security threats and readily employ counter- and antiterrorism measures.”
President Donald Trump's administration sent about $230 million to support Lebanon's security forces in October. But a new US defence bill could make support for the Lebanese army conditional on progress in disarming Hezbollah.
Beirut's plans to bring all weapons under state control remain on track, government officials told The National this month. The army is said to be close to completing the first phase of the arms control plan, which entails disarming the Iran-backed group in the southernmost areas bordering Israel.
Lebanon has come under intense pressure from Washington to speed up the disarmament of Hezbollah, which was the strongest military force in the country and the most powerful component of Iran's regional “axis of resistance”, before being severely weakened in its recent war with Israel.
Hezbollah has rejected any conversation about handing over all its weapons in the current circumstances, with Israeli forces still present in southern Lebanon and launching frequent strikes on the country.
The Lebanese army has gradually increased its presence in south Lebanon, as required under the November 2024 ceasefire agreement that ended more than a year of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. However, Israel has not withdrawn as stipulated in the truce deal and has reinforced its positions in southern Lebanon.
Beirut has blamed Israel's daily attacks and continued occupation of five points of Lebanese territory for any delays in disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River.
Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday killed two people, including one near Beirut, said the Lebanese Health Ministry.
In separate statements, the Israeli military said it targeted two Hezbollah members, without providing further details.
