Trump Administration Pledges $230 Million to Lebanon for Hezbollah Disarmament as Israel Strikes Terror Targets By The Media Line Staff The United States has released $230 million in funding for Lebanon’s security forces, a move aimed at supporting efforts to disarm Hezbollah as Israel continues airstrikes in the country aimed at the terror group’s […]
World
The Media Line: Trump Administration Pledges $230 Million to Lebanon for Hezbollah Disarmament as Israel Strikes Terror Targets
Audio By Carbonatix
Trump Administration Pledges $230 Million to Lebanon for Hezbollah Disarmament as Israel Strikes Terror Targets
By The Media Line Staff
The United States has released $230 million in funding for Lebanon’s security forces, a move aimed at supporting efforts to disarm Hezbollah as Israel continues airstrikes in the country aimed at the terror group’s members and infrastructure.
According to sources in Washington and Beirut, the funds include $190 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and $40 million for the Internal Security Forces (ISF). Officials said the money will allow the ISF to handle domestic policing so the LAF can focus on broader military duties. “For a small country like Lebanon, that’s really, really significant,” one US congressional aide told reporters.
On Friday, the same day the US disarmament funding was announced, Israel reported new strikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. A drone strike in Kafra killed Ali Mohammed Qarouni, identified by the Israel Defense Forces as a local Hezbollah official who had requisitioned homes for storing weapons and conducting surveillance. Another attack in Kfar Reman killed two operatives said to be involved in rebuilding the group’s infrastructure.
The Trump administration authorized the transfer just before the close of the fiscal year on September 30, despite wider cuts to foreign assistance programs. The decision reflects the White House’s priority on stabilizing Lebanon and addressing Hezbollah’s role in the region, alongside ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in Gaza.
Hezbollah was severely weakened in its war with Israel last year, which ended with a US-brokered truce in November. Since then, the Lebanese army has collected weapons stockpiles south of the Litani River, though the group is believed to have retained more advanced rockets and drones. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in August instructed the army to prepare a plan that would place all arms under state control by year’s end.
In response to the plan, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, pushed back, rejecting calls to disarm and threatening a new war with Israel if it launched a “large-scale aggression” against Lebanon.
Speaking as the Lebanese cabinet met to debate the issue, Qassem said the group would not accept US “dictates.” He added: “Are we being asked to engage in dialogue, or to surrender our weapons without dialogue? We cannot accept Lebanon committing to gradually giving up its strength while all the strength cards remain in the hands of the Israeli enemy.”
Israel has stated that its operations are designed to prevent Hezbollah from rearming and to protect communities along the northern border. The government has pledged to pull back from positions inside Lebanon once Hezbollah agrees to disarm, a demand the group has consistently rejected.
Hezbollah’s confrontation with Israel erupted after the October 7 Hamas-led assault in southern Israel. Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire in November 2024, but since then, each side has accused the other of periodically violating the agreement.