The Trump administration has approved a $230 million aid package for Lebanon’s security forces in a strategic effort to strengthen state institutions and curtail the influence of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant and political group, officials in Washington and Beirut confirmed this week.
The assistance includes $190 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and $40 million for the Internal Security Forces (ISF), and was finalized just before the close of the U.S. fiscal year on September 30, according to a Lebanese source familiar with the matter.
“For a small country like Lebanon, that’s really, really significant,” said a Democratic congressional aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The decision stands out amid the Trump administration’s broader cuts to foreign aid programs under its “America First” doctrine, signaling a targeted effort to promote stability in a region roiled by conflict in Gaza and rising Israeli-Hezbollah tensions along the southern Lebanese border.
The U.S. State Department said the aid supports Lebanese institutions “as they work to assert Lebanese sovereignty across the country and fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701,” which established the ceasefire terms following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
That resolution remains the cornerstone of international efforts to prevent further escalation, though renewed cross-border fighting over the past year has devastated parts of southern Lebanon, weakened Hezbollah’s domestic standing, and reignited calls for the group’s disarmament.
In August, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam jointly tasked the LAF with drafting a plan to place all weapons under state control by the end of 2025 — a move widely interpreted as a direct challenge to Hezbollah’s autonomy. Though the group has long resisted such efforts, international and internal pressure is mounting.
According to Lebanese officials, the newly approved U.S. funds will enhance the ISF’s capabilities, allowing it to take on more internal security duties while freeing the LAF to concentrate on national defense and strategic operations.
Washington’s investment, observers say, is designed to bolster Lebanon’s state institutions and undermine Hezbollah’s justification for maintaining its own armed forces.
The aid package reflects the U.S. commitment to stabilizing Lebanon despite the country’s economic collapse, political gridlock, and enduring sectarian divides. It also signals that American policymakers still view Lebanese security assistance as essential to pushing back against Iran’s regional influence through Hezbollah.
While Lebanon continues to navigate a fragile peace, this latest infusion of support from the U.S. may prove a pivotal factor in restoring public trust in national institutions and reasserting state authority in areas historically controlled by Hezbollah.
The funding decision also comes as Congress debates future foreign aid levels, and as regional analysts warn of widening instability should Lebanon’s security apparatus be allowed to deteriorate further.
The Trump administration has not yet commented on whether additional aid packages to Lebanon are being considered in future fiscal cycles.
