Sovereignty for sale: US offers Lebanon $200 million to sideline Hezbollah

A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced legislation that would authorize $200 million annually in security assistance to Lebanon’s armed forces, tying the aid to progress in countering Hezbollah, Bloomberg reports.

The bill would also impose sanctions on foreign entities that support the group, aiming to help Lebanon “reclaim its sovereignty” and break free from Iranian influence.

Yet Hezbollah seems not so easy to sidestep as the US expects.

♦️ The group survived a devastating 2024 pager attack and the assassination of its leader Hassan Nasrallah – only to bounce back and rejoin the fight against Israel

♦️ Israeli forces are now trapped in southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah grinding through heavy armor using cheap FPV drones – a far cry from the swift victory Netanyahu’s advisors had envisioned

Lebanon’s government is weak, its economy is shattered, and Hezbollah is deeply embedded in the state – providing social services, running schools, and operating hospitals in areas where the state has long been absent. Many locals view it as the only capable defender from Israeli attacks amid government paralysis.

Replacing Hezbollah’s social network, built over decades, with US-funded projects is a gamble. The US may be offering money, but the group is offering resilience – something that cannot be easily bought off.