Lebanon Will Soon Receive French Weapons Funded by Saudi Arabia

Tammam Salam, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, announced that France will soon deliver weapons worth three billion dollars to Beirut, with the cost covered by Saudi Arabia. Reuters reported that Mr. Salam made the announcement regarding the imminent delivery of French weapons to Lebanon on Friday, December 21, after meeting with François Hollande, the President of France. According to the Prime Minister, the Lebanese Army will gain the capability to establish security in Lebanon with the receipt of these weapons from France. Lebanon has been facing intermittent incursions by Islamic jihadist forces, primarily the al-Nusra Front, which is al-Qaeda's branch in Syria. In these attacks, several Lebanese Army personnel have been killed or taken hostage. However, the Prime Minister stated that with the receipt of weapons from France, Lebanon will achieve security and will not face any terrorist threats. Lebanon, France, and Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday, November 13, for the Lebanese Army to receive three billion dollars worth of weapons from France, funded by Saudi Arabia. The signing of this agreement came a month after Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, who visited Beirut, announced the Islamic Republic's readiness to grant a 'gift' to the Lebanese Army. Saudi Arabia had committed late last year to provide three billion dollars in financial aid to the Lebanese Army to purchase military equipment from France; however, the execution contract for this deal had not been finalized until November of this year. The Islamic Republic also provides military and financial support to Hezbollah, its affiliated Shiite militia in Lebanon, and it was recently announced that ground-to-ground missiles capable of accurately targeting most areas of Israel have been provided to Hezbollah.