US and Lebanese navies conduct joint maritime patrol in Mediterranean Sea

The US Navy and Lebanese Navy have recently conducted a joint patrol in the Mediterranean Sea, the US Central Command (Centcom) said in a post on X on Wednesday.

A US Navy destroyer, the USS Mitscher, along with two Lebanese Navy vessels were part of the operations.

“Through combined training exercises and operational support, US and Lebanese forces are actively working together to enhance interoperability,” Centcom said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the US approved a $14.2 million security assistance package for Lebanon to help its military disarm non-state armed groups, including the powerful Hezbollah.

The package will build the Lebanese Armed Forces' capability and capacity to dismantle the weapons caches and military infrastructure of the groups, the Pentagon said. US assistance is aimed at “empowering the LAF in degrading Hezbollah in alignment with the administration’s priority to counter” Iran-backed groups in the region, the department added.

Washington has reportedly threatened to withdraw military aid to Lebanon if it does not move forward with the disarmament push fast enough.

In August, the Lebanese government, under pressure from the US as well as Israeli air strikes, ordered its military to draw up a disarmament plan, which Lebanon's cabinet said the army would begin implementing, without disclosing details.

US special envoy Tom Barrack said on Thursday that his country continues to support Lebanon’s endeavour to "rebuild its own state, find peace with its neighbours and continue its quest for resolution of its recently signed cessation of hostilities agreement in November of 2024, including the disarmament of Hezbollah".

His comment came after he told The National this week, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, that Lebanon is not doing enough to disarm the militant group.

“I would say the Lebanese, and I don't mean this in a disrespectful way, all they do is talk,” said Mr Barrack.

“I know this is a difficult decision. I know they don't want a civil war. There's not going be a civil war. Hezbollah is at the lowest point in history that they’ve ever been. We'll help them, but if they don't want to help themselves, this President's not going to waste his time and effort,” he said of Donald Trump.

Tom Barrack on Israel, the Middle East and what’s next

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Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed surprise at Mr Barrack's remarks, questioning the Lebanese government and army’s commitment to undertaking reforms and disarming non-state actors.

“I affirm that the government is committed to implementing its ministerial statement in full, particularly with regard to implementing the reforms it pledged, extending the state's authority over all its territory with its own forces, and restricting the possession of weapons to the state alone, as reflected in the Cabinet's decisions in this regard," said Mr Salam.

Mr Salam said he was “fully confident that the Lebanese army is fulfilling its responsibilities in protecting Lebanon's sovereignty".

Hezbollah maintains that it will not give up its weapons as long as Israel continues to strike at targets in Lebanon it claims are linked to the group and maintains troops inside Lebanese territory, in violation of the truce.

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