US President Donald Trump’s administration is withholding $105 million in security aid for Lebanon, two US officials told the Reuters news agency on Thursday.
The State Department told Congress on Thursday that the White House budget office and National Security Council had decided to withhold the foreign military assistance, the two officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officials did not say why the aid was blocked. One of the sources said the State Department did not give Congress a reason for the decision.
The State Department declined to comment.
The administration had sought approval for the assistance starting in May, arguing that it was crucial for Lebanon, an important US partner in the volatile Middle East, to be able to protect its borders. The aid included night vision goggles and weapons used in border security, according to Reuters.
Washington, however, has also repeatedly expressed concern over the growing role in the Beirut government of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and listed as a terrorist organization by the United States.
Hezbollah, which has a strong political presence in Lebanon, is a major part of the cabinet, after the group and its allies gained more than half the seats of the 128-member Lebanese parliament in the election last May.
Thursday’s report comes two days after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation amid huge protests against the ruling elite.
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