Lebanon receives 3 helicopters in US military assistance

By Wassim Seif El Din

BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanon has received three Huey II helicopters in US military assistance to the Lebanese army.

The helicopters worth $24 million were delivered in a ceremony held in the capital Beirut on Friday in the presence of US Ambassador Dorothy Shea and Lebanese army chief Ziad Haikal.

“These helicopters represent the enduring partnership between Lebanon and the United States,” Shea said during the ceremony.

“US military teams have worked closely with the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) to ensure that the capabilities of these aircraft will enhance the operational capacity of the LAF in providing security for all of Lebanon,” he added.

In September, US President Joe Biden signed a presidential note that allows US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to offer immediate assistance worth $47 million to the Lebanese army.

According to observers, Western countries, particularly the US and France, seek to increase military assistance to the Lebanese army in an effort to enhance its capabilities in the face of the group Hezbollah.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar