
The Biden administration is redirecting $95 million in military aid originally designated for Egypt to Lebanon, according to a document obtained by the Reuters news agency on Monday.
The decision to redirect the aid comes as Lebanon faces ongoing threats from Hezbollah and other non-state actors while managing a ceasefire with Israel. According to the State Department's notification to Congress, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are described as a "key partner" in maintaining the November 27, 2024, Israel-Lebanon agreement aimed at halting hostilities and preventing Hezbollah from targeting Israel.
Last month, the US administration approved the sale of more than $5 billion in military equipment to Egypt, which has become an increasingly close partner in mediating the Gaza crisis, despite ongoing concerns about human rights abuses.
In September, the Biden administration announced a decision to bypass human rights conditions tied to military aid for Egypt, authorizing the full $1.3 billion aid package, which included the $95 million specifically tied to Egypt's progress on political prisoner releases.
Though the notification did not explicitly state that the reallocation involved this sum, a congressional aide suggested that the amount was unlikely to be a coincidence.
The September decision faced pushback from Congress, including Democratic Senators Chris Murphy and Chris Coons, both senior members of the Foreign Relations Committee, who jointly criticized the move.
US-Egypt ties were strained under the Obama administration, which suspended American military aid to Egypt following the 2013 ouster of former Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, before releasing it two years later.
Following the election of Donald Trump, however, ties improved. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi praised Trump after his election and said he expected greater engagement in the Middle East from his administration.
When US President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he promised a tougher stance on Egypt over human rights issues under Sisi. However, his administration has repeatedly moved forward with arms deals to Egypt.
The State Department's latest document outlines that the $95 million will be used to strengthen Lebanon's military capabilities, enhance border security, combat terrorism, and address the security challenges arising from shifts in power within Syria.
The notification emphasizes the US commitment to Lebanon, describing the US as Lebanon's "security partner of choice," with American support playing a direct role in securing both Lebanon and the broader Levant region.
Under US law, Congress has 15 days to challenge the reallocation of military assistance. However, a Congressional aide familiar with the process indicated that lawmakers were likely to support the administration's decision to redirect the funds to Lebanon.