Lebanon celebrates this first of August the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of its army. This year’s celebration has a special meaning as it coincides with major achievements by the army in the fight against terrorism and the ousting of terrorist groups from the eastern Lebanese borders.
The Lebanese Army has proved its combat effectiveness, starting with the battle against Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon in 2007, leading to the fierce battle against ISIS which took place in Arsal on the eastern borders in August last year.
In the last three years, the army has recorded a series of achievements that have raised the interest of major international powers, which are now seeking to strengthen the Lebanese military institutions by providing it with training, arms and information capabilities.
The qualitative operations carried out by the army in recent years are the result of the bulk of military, security and intelligence work that the organization has achieved.
A military source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the most significant achievement under the leadership of General Joseph Aoun was in the battle of “Fajr al-Jouroud” in Arsal, in addition to stopping the flow of car bombs inside the country and easing the security pressure on Lebanon.
The sources emphasized that the army’s fast victory in Arsal has allowed it to focus its efforts on the protection of internal security, by chasing terrorist networks and uncovering dormant cells in successful preemptive operations.
Although the achievements of the army are a source of confidence for the Lebanese, the army has many challenges ahead, according to its leader General Joseph Aoun.
The military sources noted that among important challenges facing the army were security concerns and the protection of the borders, to prevent the risk of the infiltration of armed militants into Lebanon.
The army is also facing the threat of any Israeli attack on Lebanon’s southern border, and chasing espionage networks operating for Israel.
The director of the Middle East Institute for Strategic Affairs, Dr. Sami Nader, said that the army “has become the last resort for the Lebanese and is constantly present to protect national sovereignty, and thus lacks a single political decision to extend its absolute authority over the entire Lebanese territory.”
Since 2006, Lebanon has been trying to develop a defense strategy that would give the state a decision on war and peace, and prevent any weapons from being left outside the legitimacy. However, all dialogues have so far failed because Hezbollah refuses to handover its weapons.
