US approves $230 million in security aid to Lebanon as part of Hezbollah disarmament push

Sources in Washington and Beirut said this week that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration approved $230 million in funding for Lebanon’s security forces as part of its push to disarm Hezbollah.

A Lebanese source familiar with the decision said the package includes $190 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces and $40 million for the Internal Security Forces.

Democratic aides in Congress noted that the funding was released just before the end of Washington’s fiscal year on Sept. 30. One aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters in a phone briefing: “For a small country like Lebanon, this is extremely significant.”

The U.S. State Department has not yet responded to a request for comment. The aid comes at a time when Trump’s Republican administration has scaled back several foreign assistance programs, arguing that taxpayer money should prioritize an “America First” agenda.

Still, the move appears to underscore Trump’s focus on resolving the conflict in Gaza and the wider region.

Reuters