US delivers military aid to Lebanon
BEIRUT - The United States has delivered the first shipment of weapons to Lebanon to help bolster its military as it faces a growing threat from Islamic militants amid the fallout from neighboring Syria's civil war.
The weapons were displayed at the Beirut military air base on Friday after arriving earlier this week. The shipment included anti-tank artillery, mortars and rifles. A sample of the weapons was placed on a white satin-covered table with camouflage netting.
Earlier this month US Ambassador David Hale announced the deliveries and said they were in response to a request from the Lebanese armed forces for emergency assistance after Islamic militants overran a Lebanese town near the Syrian border, killing and kidnapping soldiers.
Since 2006, the US has given Lebanon more than $1 billion in military assistance.
