EU to establish training and support mission for Lebanese army

The European Union plans to establish a training and support mission for Lebanon's underfunded Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas announced on Thursday during her visit to Beirut. Kallas clarified that this initiative is not a replacement for the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, Unifil, whose mandate is set to expire by the end of the year.

She emphasized that the new mission will assist the LAF and Internal Security Forces in enhancing territorial control, border security, and internal security.

Kallas emphasized that the mission is not solely focused on southern Lebanon and that the continued presence of UN forces remains under discussion. The EU mission is expected to be formally established on October 12 during a meeting of EU foreign ministers, following a formal invitation from Lebanese authorities. The EU has already provided financial, humanitarian, and security assistance to Lebanon through a €1 billion ($1.12 billion) support package for the years 2024 to 2027.

The establishment of this mission aims to address concerns of a potential security vacuum in southern Lebanon, where Israel occupies approximately 65 towns and villages and Hezbollah maintains significant influence. As Unifil prepares to withdraw without a successor formally announced, fears of a security void have risen. French and Italian EU member states may potentially participate in this undertaking, according to Kallas, who affirmed that her team remains willing to collaborate with Lebanon and UN Security Council members regarding the next steps.

Kallas stressed the importance of maintaining full control of Lebanon's territory and moving towards the disarmament of Hezbollah, provided that any international force operates under a UN mandate. The Lebanese Armed Forces, severely underfunded and reliant on international donors, have struggled to expand their presence in southern Lebanon due to the ongoing Israeli occupation.

The recent Israeli war on Lebanon, which resumed in March amid hostilities against Iran, has resulted in over 4,300 Lebanese fatalities and widespread destruction of border towns and villages. This conflict followed Hezbollah's retaliatory rocket barrage against Israel following the killing of Iran's supreme leader. Kallas is currently on a two-day visit to Lebanon, where she also met with President Joseph Aoun.