US senators push $200 million Lebanon aid bill tied to Hezbollah
What's new: The measure pairs military aid with sanctions and could raise annual support to $300 million if Beirut makes progress.
Two US senators introduced a bipartisan bill to authorize $200 million a year in security aid for Lebanon’s armed forces, tying the money to government progress in countering Hezbollah. The measure, filed Aug. 6 by Jeanne Shaheen and James Lankford, would allow annual assistance to rise to $300 million and add sanctions on foreign people who support Hezbollah or obstruct efforts to disarm the group. The bill aims to reinforce a US-brokered ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel after months of cross-border fighting. It also would create a fund to help Beirut rebuild infrastructure and restore civil services in areas where Hezbollah has long held sway.