Turkey’s recent push to deepen its involvement in Lebanon has raised questions about Ankara’s long-term ambitions, following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement that Turkey’s security interests extend as far as Damascus and Beirut.
But Turkey already has a foothold in Lebanon, not only through security ties but also through humanitarian and civilian projects that have expanded its influence.
Ya Allah
(Video: Yaron Brenner)
In July, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun both visited Turkey and met with Erdogan. During Aoun’s visit, Erdogan said Turkey wanted to “join any force that will ensure the stability and security of the region, including any alternative force in Lebanon” after the expected end of the UNIFIL mandate.
He also said Turkish military support for Lebanese forces would continue and that Ankara was ready to help rebuild southern Lebanon.
Turkey has maintained a security presence in Lebanon for years. It has participated in UNIFIL in southern Lebanon since 2006 and has separately provided support, equipment and training to the Lebanese army.
Lebanon was included in Turkey’s foreign military assistance program in 2015. In 2018, Ankara pledged $7 million worth of military equipment, and since Lebanon’s economic crisis began in 2019, Turkey has provided spare parts, ammunition and food supplies to Lebanese security forces and soldiers.
Beyond military cooperation, Turkey has expanded its influence through humanitarian projects led by TIKA, Ankara’s official aid agency.
The agency has supported medical programs, Palestinian refugee camps, agricultural projects and cultural initiatives in Lebanon. Last month, TIKA and the Turkish Embassy opened a technology laboratory in Beirut aimed at developing digital skills among children and teenagers.
Turkey has also cooperated with the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, known as IHH, which Israel considers a terrorist organization because of its alleged support for Hamas.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Joseph Aoun in Ankara
(Photo: REUTERS/Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Turkish Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS)
TIKA’s activities have previously drawn Israeli scrutiny. In 2017, Israel arrested the head of the agency’s Gaza branch, accusing him of operating on behalf of Hamas’ military wing. In 2024, the IDF said Hamas used a tunnel network beneath a hospital built by TIKA in Gaza.
Turkey’s aid efforts in Lebanon have continued in recent months. Turkish aid trucks reportedly delivered more than 280 tons of meat to Beirut to support around 140,000 families, while the Turkish Red Crescent has also provided assistance to civilians and displaced residents.
Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Hanin al-Sayed recently met with officials from TIKA and Turkey’s disaster agency AFAD to discuss cooperation on emergency response, reconstruction and temporary housing projects.
Turkey presents its growing role in Lebanon as support for state institutions and regional stability. But for Israel, Ankara’s expanding influence raises concerns, particularly as Turkey maintains a sharply critical position toward Jerusalem and ties with organizations Israel considers terrorist groups.
The result is a complicated regional picture: Turkey is strengthening its presence in Lebanon through both hard and soft power, while Israel watches the development as another factor shaping the balance of power on its northern front.