Just hours before a government shutdown, the United States confirmed a new security aid package for Lebanon. The Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces (ISF) will receive $230 million in funding, a strong political signal of support for state institutions.
According to Reuters, the US administration approved the funding on September 30, 2025, with $190 million allocated to the army and $40 million to the ISF. Made on the eve of the US budget shutdown, the decision highlights Washington’s commitment to supporting Lebanon’s regular forces despite economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
This package comes on top of ongoing American assistance. In January 2025, Washington granted $117 million to strengthen the army and the ISF. In March 2025, a special waiver allowed $95 million in equipment and maintenance to be released despite budget constraints. Two years earlier, in 2023, a $72 million program, funded through the UN and UNDP, directly supported the salaries of Lebanese soldiers and police, including monthly stipends of $100 per eligible member for six months.
Beyond the figures, the aid reflects a clear policy: reinforce Lebanon’s security institutions to preserve internal stability. Amid regional tensions and domestic challenges, Washington continues to view the army and the ISF as vital pillars of state authority and a counterbalance to non-state armed groups.
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