The Russian Federation is giving ten of the fighter jets to Lebanon as military aid. The Lebanese army is largely funded by the United States, so the gesture from Russia is a bit of a surprise, especially to Israel, Lebanon’s neighbor to the south.
Lebanon also seems to be surprised by the offer. The United States usually only provides small arms and communications equipment to the army, not sophisticated fighter jets. According to the L.A. Times, a senior military officer wasn’t sure that Lebanon was ready for the planes:
“It is an unnaturally big step for the Lebanese army,” he told the Los Angeles Times on condition of anonymity, adding that Lebanon does not have the proper infrastructure, nor the trained personnel to make use of the fighter jets.
The move could also call into question Hizballah’s role as the defender of Lebanon from Israel. If Russia continues to supply the Lebanese army with enough sophisticated weapons and training that one day Lebanon can defend itself from Israel, it could be harder for Hizballah’s to justify the existence of its military wing.
