https://arab.news/nymka
- American destroyer, 2 Lebanese navy ships take part in Mediterranean training operations
- Drills follow $14m security assistance package from Pentagon to help Lebanese Armed Forces
LONDON: The US and Lebanese navies have held joint training exercises in the Mediterranean Sea.
US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said the drills included the destroyer USS Mitscher and two Lebanese navy vessels.
CENTCOM said on Wednesday: “Through combined training exercises and operational support, US and Lebanese forces are actively working together to enhance interoperability.”
The exercises took place amid increased US support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, which have been tasked with disarming the Hezbollah.
The Pentagon announced a $14 million security assistance package for Lebanon earlier this month to “build the capability and capacity” of the LAF and to remove weapons and military infrastructure from non-state groups, including Hezbollah.
The US helped broker a ceasefire deal last year between Israel and Hezbollah after more than a year of clashes had killed nearly 4,000 Lebanese.
Israel has continued bombing raids in Lebanon despite the agreement.
US Special Envoy Tom Barrack said on Thursday that Washington continued to back Lebanon’s efforts to rebuild state institutions, secure peace with its neighbors and implement the November 2024 peace agreement.