French defense minister calls on Gulf states to help boost Lebanese army

A photo taken from the southern Lebanese city of Tyre shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Qlayleh on November 17, 2024. (Kawnat Haju / AFP)
A photo taken from the southern Lebanese city of Tyre shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Qlayleh on November 17, 2024. (Kawnat Haju / AFP)

France’s defense minister urges the wealthy Gulf states to find ways to bolster Lebanon’s armed forces, saying they will be crucial for securing border areas after Israel’s war with Hezbollah.

As efforts towards a ceasefire increase, Sebastien Lecornu tells AFP that the Gulf monarchies, rich from oil and gas, should consider “operational support” for the Lebanese forces.

“I have reiterated to each counterpart that we need them to support the Lebanese armed forces,” Lecornu says after visits to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. “Both in the central role they play in welfare matters, and in the security aspect. We will have to think about more operational support on the military side.”

Lecornu was speaking in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi before meeting President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed at the end of his three-country tour.

“To secure the border between Israel and Lebanon, and to reinforce Lebanon’s sovereignty, the armed forces must be properly armed,” he adds.

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