Slotkin to LBCI: Lebanese army needs resources to confront Hezbollah, $36 million request submitted for special forces

U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin said efforts are underway to provide the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) with additional support, including a $36 million funding request aimed at strengthening the army’s special forces.

Speaking about U.S. policy toward Lebanon in remarks to LBCI, Slotkin said the Lebanese army cannot be expected to take on powerful armed groups such as Hezbollah without being “properly armed and prepared.”

“If you want the Lebanese Armed Forces to take on Hezbollah, they need to be properly armed,” Slotkin said, adding that the funding request was part of broader efforts to strengthen Lebanon’s state institutions.

The senator stressed that these measures come within the framework of reaching a successful negotiation process that would eventually lead to the withdrawal and pullback of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

Slotkin noted that Hezbollah remains a powerful group with significant support inside Lebanon, adding that the Lebanese community in Michigan closely follows developments in the country.

“They're watching the destruction of their homes in southern Lebanon,” she said, emphasizing the strong interest among Lebanese Americans in reaching a resolution.

Slotkin reiterated that the Lebanese Armed Forces should be the country’s primary military authority, saying the army must have the necessary capabilities to assume that role.