Months after the announcement that Saudi Arabia was going to purchase $3 billion worth of weapons, vehicles, and equipment of various types on Lebanon’s behalf, the Lebanese government has received the news that the shipments will finally begin arriving in mid-April. This is dearly welcome news to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), who have been struggling to contain the spillover from the Syrian Civil War, including attempts by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to gain a foothold in the country.

Lebanon has never possessed anything resembling a capable military. There are some units of notable quality, such as their equivalent of the U.S. Navy SEALs, but the Lebanese military in general is a hollow force desperately in need of an overhaul. The Saudi-French deal aims to rectify that. Not only will the deal see Lebanon receive, among other supplies, armored vehicles, artillery, helicopters, and small naval vessels, but a French-run training program for the military. The training program is just as valuable, if not more so, than the weapons that will be delivered. Lebanon’s military is not particularly well trained, and its struggles in the 2007 fighting against jihadist-salafist elements in Palestinian refugee camps laid bare the tremendous shortcomings in terms of training and leadership.

Lebanese soldier pass by newly-delivered artillery from the United States (The Daily Star/Mohammad Azakir)

In keeping with its status as the holder of the most eclectic collection of arms and equipment of any military on the planet, the French deliveries are coming after a number of donations from other countries. The British military has sent over 100 Land Rovers since December, while Jordan sent 30 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers and a dozen M109 155mm howitzers. Lebanon, the fifth largest recipient of foreign military aid from the United States, is also benefiting from a large American arms shipment as well, including 72 M198 155mm howitzers and 26 million rounds of various types of ammunition.

A small country with a small military is getting a lot of weapons and munitions, but Lebanon needs every dollars’ worth. The Lebanese Armed Forces, as well as security forces from the Interior Ministry, are stretched thin due to exhausting deployments around the country. Protecting against terror attacks in Beirut, on peacekeeping duty on the ever-angry streets of Tripoli, keeping watch on the Palestinian and Syrian refugee camps, and, perhaps most importantly now, trying to plug the holes in the border to keep ISIS and other jihadist-salafist groups out.

The Army is barely managing to keep up with these missions, and is finding itself burdened with an ever heavier workload. Trying to take advantage of Lebanon’s domestic political problems, groups like ISIS and Jabhat an-Nusra have continued to try to extend their influence from Syria over the border into Lebanon. After fierce fighting in the Arsal region last year, the Army has spent the better part of 2015 so far launching pre-emptive operations to try to dislodge fighters belonging to ISIS and other groups from the rugged borderlands. One of the Army’s preferred methods of operating is through harassment and interdiction, unleashing scheduled artillery barrages on suspected militant positions and infiltration routes. By hammering away at the militants, the Army is hoping to keep them spread out and unable to mount any serious attacks.

Recent fighting has been concentrated in the Ras Baalbek area, where estimates on ISIS and allied fighters run into the thousands. Further south, near Arsal, Jabhat an-Nusra still poses a significant threat. Fearing a potential spring offensive from one or both of those groups, the Army is rumored to be preparing a major operation of their own to clear out militant strongholds and reassert some measure of control over the immediate area surrounding the border. Until that operation actually develops, though, the Army is continuing to maintain a defensive line consisting of forward operating bases and observation posts linked by constant patrols.

Lebanese soldiers on patrol (PressTV)

The problems are not just confined to the border areas, though; there is a rising threat of ISIS-inspired violence emanating from some of the Palestinian refugee camps. “No-Go Zones” for Lebanese security forces for decades, the impoverished refugee camps have long been a source of instability and extremism in Lebanon. Far from being solely a problem of radicalized Palestinians, they have become convenient safe havens for many jihadist-salafists of Al-Qaeda-style mindsets from around Lebanon.

Ain al-Hilweh, which was the scene of vicious fighting between the Army and Al-Qaeda inspired groups in 2007, has again become the focus of attention as reports surface that ISIS may be trying to set up cells in the camp. Fears are rising about just how much progress ISIS has made, along with concerns that the Army may need to once again go into Ain al-Hilweh and other camps to root out terror cells.