Lebanese Army Unable to Defend Borders or Confront Hezbollah

The Lebanese Armed Forces are unable to confront Hezbollah or defend national borders against Israel due to years of underfunding and deliberate weakening [1, 2].

This military impotence leaves a power vacuum in southern Lebanon, where the state lacks the capability to enforce its sovereignty or prevent non-state actors from controlling strategic territory.

The crisis became evident in mid-April 2026 during a 10-day cease-fire ^[3] between Lebanon and Israel. While the U.S. and Lebanon later agreed to extend that cease-fire by three weeks ^[4], the Lebanese army remained largely ineffective on the ground.

In the "shattered south" and areas surrounding Beirut, the military has been unable to act as a primary combat force [5, 6]. Reports indicate that since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon, Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have clashed along the border while the Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines ^[6].

This lack of capability is not accidental. The Lebanese state and its international partners have strategically positioned the army as a stabilizer rather than an active combat force [2, 7]. Chronic underfunding and political constraints have ensured the military cannot challenge Hezbollah's dominance [1, 2].

There are conflicting views on the army's current role. Some reports suggest Washington and the Lebanese state are positioning the Armed Forces as the guarantor of stability in the south ^[7]. However, other accounts said that the military's inability to engage in combat has left it a passive observer during active hostilities ^[6].