France to Give Armoured Vehicles to Lebanese Army

Facts

• French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Monday that France intends to send dozens of armored vehicles to the Lebanese army, to allow it to effectively conduct patrol missions.¹
• After a recent trip to Lebanon, Lecornu stated that the Lebanese national army must be strengthened, so it can coordinate successfully with the UN peacekeeping force stationed in south Lebanon as tensions rise between Israel and Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed political party and armed group.²
• France will give 15 Vehicule de l'Avant Blinde, VAB — a front-line armored vehicle — to support the Lebanese Army for combat operations. The VAB possesses the HOT long-range anti-tank system, along with ten canines trained to detect explosives.³
• The French Defense Minister emphasized that France's support for the Lebanese army is for the long-term, adding that France will provide military hardware and medical supplies, establishing a joint program to purchase medical supplies at competitive prices for the army in the future.⁴
• Despite France's attempts to defuse rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the situation on the border has escalated. France — which once administered Lebanon — also maintains 700 troops in Lebanon as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), founded in 1978.⁵
• Lebanon-based Hezbollah — considered a terrorist organization by Western countries including the US — is a powerful armed Shi'ite Muslim organization. Lebanon is in crisis as a result of economic turmoil; state functions are near non-existent and officials fear that any skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah could spiral into a larger conflict.⁶

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²L'orient Today, ³Army Technology, ⁴1470 & 100.3 WMBD, ⁵MSN and ⁶US News & World Report.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by BESA. France has strong historical ties to Lebanon and its people, owing largely to the country's extensive diplomatic involvement in the region. France also perceives instability in the Middle East as a threat to its own security, thus explaining its interest in strengthening military ties with the country. It makes perfect sense that the French would send military equipment as part of this effort.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Cradle. The French are kidding themselves if they think that the Lebanese people will suddenly forget France's support for Israel's ruthless assault on Gaza, just because it plans to send some armored vehicles to the Lebanese army. France can warn and threaten Hezbollah all it wants, but this will have no impact on Hezbollah's resistance to Israel and the daily attacks it carries out on the border.

Predictions