The European Union is examining ways to reinforce Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF) so the Lebanese army can focus on disarming Hezbollah, according to an EU diplomatic document seen by Reuters.
The confidential paper, circulated among the 27 EU member states, outlines consultations with Lebanese authorities and a scoping mission planned for early 2026. The assistance would focus on advice, training, and capacity-building, without replacing the role of UNIFIL, whose mandate expires at the end of 2026 before a year-long drawdown.
The objective would be a gradual transfer of internal security duties from the Lebanese army to the ISF, freeing the army to concentrate on core defense tasks. The EU could also assist Lebanon in reinforcing land border security with Syria.
The initiative comes ahead of a December 15 meeting between senior EU and Lebanese officials in Brussels. Meanwhile, France's special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is in Beirut on Monday to propose a roadmap for independently assessing Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said last week that Lebanon wants a more robust ceasefire monitoring mechanism to verify Israeli claims of Hezbollah rearmament and the Lebanese army’s dismantling of the group’s infrastructure. Asked whether that could include U.S. or French troops, Salam replied: “of course.”
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