Media reported US reallocation of some US military aid to Lebanon from Egypt

TheU.S. is redistributing part of the military aid to Lebanon from Egypt. Reuters reported on January 6.

"The administration of US President Joe Biden will redirect $95 million in military aid allocated to Egypt to Lebanon, which is facing threats from Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement and other non-state actors," the agency informed.

The move is believed to have come after Democrats in the US Congress expressed deep concern over the human rights situation in Egypt, particularly the arrests of thousands of political prisoners.

The agency recalled that back in September, the Biden administration provided Cairo with the full $1.3 billion, including $95 million specifically earmarked for Egypt's progress in releasing political prisoners.

The notice did not specify that the $95 million was the exact funds, but a congressional aide said he did not believe the amount was a coincidence.

According to the State Department document, the funds will be used to professionalize the Lebanese Armed Forces, strengthen border security, combat terrorism, and address security needs arising from the change of power in Syria.

Long Conclusions: Israel delays withdrawal from Lebanon

IDF troops left only one town during the truce with Hezbollah

Earlier, on December 25, 2024, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intends to maintain its presence in Lebanon for a longer period than the 60 days that was approved in the ceasefire agreement. Israeli military officials noted that the military will have to remain in Lebanon until the IDF fulfills its obligations under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. These include establishing full control over southern Lebanon.

Before that, on December 21, Izvestia was told by the UN peacekeeping mission that Israel had withdrawn its troops from only one town in the south of the country during the ceasefire with the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. On November 28, Dmitry Gendelman, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Dmitry Gendelman, told Izvestia that Israel has not changed its position toward Hamas since the truce in Lebanon.

In late November, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the ceasefire with Lebanon a mistake. He said Israel is walking on thin ice by entering into this agreement, as the Lebanese army lacks the authority and ability to defeat Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement.

The escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah came after the events of Sept. 17 and 18, when thousands of people, including the movement's cadres, were injured when pagers and other communication devices exploded in Lebanon. The country blamed Tel Aviv for what happened. Since then, Israel has continued to eliminate the leadership of the Shiite movement and strike Lebanese territory.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.