عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Shorter: UK, US Will Continue to Support the Lebanese Army

FILE PHOTO: Lebanese army soldiers gesture as they sit on their military vehicles in the town of Ras Baalbek, Lebanon August 21, 2017. Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Lebanese army soldiers gesture as they sit on their military vehicles in the town of Ras Baalbek, Lebanon August 21, 2017. Reuters
TT
20
TT

Shorter: UK, US Will Continue to Support the Lebanese Army

FILE PHOTO: Lebanese army soldiers gesture as they sit on their military vehicles in the town of Ras Baalbek, Lebanon August 21, 2017. Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Lebanese army soldiers gesture as they sit on their military vehicles in the town of Ras Baalbek, Lebanon August 21, 2017. Reuters

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter has reaffirmed the support of the United Kingdom and the United States to the Lebanese Army as the sole defender of Lebanon.

“It is a respected and professional Army that has shown its ability to protect Lebanon from the biggest regional and internal threats and challenges,” the diplomat said Wednesday.

Shorter attended the High Level Steering Committee, with US Ambassador Elizabeth Richard and Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun at the new Land Border Training Center at Rayak.

The discussions focused on the Lebanese Army’s efforts to secure 100% of the Lebanese-Syrian border by 2019, the British embassy said in a statement.

During the meeting, Shorter inaugurated the Land Border Training Center at Rayak, it said.

This Center will support the Land Border regiments deployed along the totality of the Lebanese borders with Syria.

According to the embassy, the UK has committed over £60 million to this project in recent years, alongside significant contributions from the US and other international donors.

It said Shorter congratulated Aoun on the upcoming anniversary of Fajr el-Jouroud military operation which saw the defeat of ISIS in Lebanon, and “reaffirmed the UK’s support to the Lebanese Army as the sole defender of Lebanon, providing security to all citizens including near-border communities.”

“It has always been a privilege to meet the Commander of the Lebanese Army, General Joseph Aoun, and discuss progress on the UK’s Land Border Project. It has been a privilege to serve as ambassador to Lebanon for three incredible years,” he said.

“I have seen firsthand how the Army has continued to transform over this period,” Shorter said. He described it as a “professional” Army that has been capable of protecting Lebanon from the biggest regional and internal threats and challenges.

The diplomat said he was pleased that the UK and the US will continue helping the Lebanese Army construct and equip additional Protected Border Observation Posts and Forward Operating Bases to support the Land Border Regiments deliver their mission in maintaining security within Lebanon.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
TT
20
TT

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.