How Can Lebanon’s Partners Help Strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces?

Key Takeaways

• LAF lacks funds to pay salaries, forcing soldiers into side jobs
• Only 25% of LAF personnel are Shiite, complicating orders against Hezbollah
• US provides limited training and equipment, but funding gaps persist
• Hezbollah’s financial backing outpaces LAF, creating power imbalance
• Experts urge partners to supply ammunition, salaries, and political backing

Pulse Analysis

The Lebanese state’s fragile sovereignty has become a flashpoint in the Israel‑Hezbollah stalemate. After the United States convened diplomatic talks in April, hostilities persisted, underscoring the limits of political dialogue without a credible security partner on the ground. Lebanon’s 2025 pledge to empower the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to neutralize Hezbollah marks a historic shift, yet the plan collides with deep‑seated sectarian loyalties and a chronic budget deficit that hampers operational readiness.

Financial constraints are the LAF’s most acute weakness. Salaries for rank‑and‑file soldiers often go unpaid, compelling many to seek supplemental income—a reality that erodes morale and undermines the chain of command. Compounding this, roughly a quarter of the force is Shiite, sharing communal ties with Hezbollah and potentially resisting orders to confront fellow Lebanese. Meanwhile, Hezbollah enjoys a steady flow of regional funding and sophisticated weaponry, creating a stark capability gap that emboldens its aggressive posture along the border.

Experts suggest a multi‑pronged approach for U.S. and allied partners: direct budgetary support to cover payroll, a steady supply of modern ammunition, and expanded joint training programs that emphasize counter‑insurgency tactics. Political backing that reinforces the LAF’s authority, coupled with diplomatic pressure on Hezbollah’s financiers, could shift the balance of power. Strengthening Lebanon’s military not only curtails Hezbollah’s leverage but also contributes to broader regional stability, aligning with Washington’s long‑term security objectives in the Middle East.