Washington – An official on Monday confirmed that the U.S. has resumed its aid to the Lebanese military worth some 105 million dollars.
A State Department official confirmed the information saying there had been unspecified disagreements about the efficacy of the assistance.
However, Concerns mounted on Capitol Hill that the delay in the congressionally mandated aid package would hurt efforts to counter Islamist extremists in the Middle East and potentially be a boost to U.S rivals, including Iran.
The freeze on the aid came as Lebanon was rocked by protests against the government over financial mismanagement.
The entire process of freezing the aid for months was shrouded in secrecy and unclear concerns.
It came as Democrats in the House of Representatives launched an impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump.
The inquiry includes allegations that the White House withheld aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the country to investigate a domestic political rival.
Democrats in the House have been questioning the White House over the Lebanese aid delay, but there were no allegations of any wrongdoing by Trump or others in the executive branch.
The State Department official, who spoke after the Associated Press reported that the aid had been released, said the Lebanese army is an institution that has great merit, praising its role in fighting Sunni extremists.
