More than 10 European Union countries are prepared to provide personnel and other resources for a planned EU mission to support Lebanon’s armed forces, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.
The proposed mission is intended to strengthen Lebanon’s military and help the government extend its authority across the country, including as Beirut faces pressure to disarm Hezbollah.
The EU has been examining ways to provide training and advice to the Lebanese armed forces as the United Nations prepares to wind down its peacekeeping operation in the country.
Kallas said the EU was not seeking to replace the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate is due to expire at the end of 2026.
“Our objective is to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces and the ability of the Lebanese state to provide security across its territory,” Kallas told reporters in Ireland after a meeting of European defence ministers.
An EU official said the bloc was aiming to establish the mission in mid-October, with personnel potentially deployed towards the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
Kallas did not say which countries would take part.
Strengthening the Lebanese army is closely linked to international efforts to have Hezbollah give up its weapons.
Western governments have repeatedly called for Lebanon to disarm the Iran-backed group. The issue is also a central element of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel following a conflict that unfolded alongside the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
UNIFIL is expected to begin a year-long drawdown and withdrawal after its mandate expires.
France has separately been pushing for an international conference aimed at strengthening Lebanon’s armed forces and has proposed an international force as part of efforts to succeed UNIFIL.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port o...
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad sayin...
Saudi Arabia is opening up to more international travellers as tourism expands beyond religious travel. In Riyadh, historic landmarks stand alongsi...
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Mexico and the U.S. are racing to secure a trade deal before the U.S. midterm elections in less than eight weeks, according to six sources familiar with the talks, with failed negotiations between Washington and Canada adding urgency.
A Russian strike on a gas station in Kyiv has killed two people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram. In Russia, online marketplace Ozon has suspended operations in Saratov, southwestern Russia, following a drone strike on a warehouse in the region.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad saying the strike originated from Iraq.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Dublin on Saturday to meet Ireland’s leaders. He will also attend a golf tournament at one of his resorts, taking a brief detour from his focus on the Iran war and his party’s efforts to retain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella has formally ended all government peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, marking a dramatic shift in the country's security strategy and delivering on a central pledge from his election campaign.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment