A shipment of weapons, ammunition, and equipment was delivered by the United States to the Lebanese army on Friday. The assistance arrived at the Rafik Hariri International Airport and will be aimed at aiding the army in its combat of terrorism. U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale said on the occasion: “Support for the Lebanese army and other security services is a top priority for the U.S.”

“Lebanon asks, and America delivers,” he said. “On August 2, extremists attacked the northeastern border town of Arsal and on August 3, I met with (Army chief) General Jean Qahwaji and asked what the U.S. could do to help,” he explained.

The U.S. moved quickly to supply the army with weapons and ammunition it asked for to secure Lebanon's borders and defeat extremists that threaten the country's security. “Two weeks ago, I informed Premier Tammam Salam and Defense Minister Samir Moqbel that the American response would begin within weeks. And we kept that promise. This is just the latest in a series of deliveries that have arrived in the last 36 hours,” Hale stated. [Link]