| Military branches | Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Lebanese Internal Security Forces Directorate (includes Mobile Gendarmerie); Directorate for General Security (DGS); Directorate General for State Security (2021) note(s) - the commander of the LAF is also the commander of the Army; the LAF patrols external borders, while official checkpoints are under the authority of Customs and Internal Security Forces |
| Military service age and obligation | 17-25 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3% of GDP (2020 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2019) 4.9% of GDP (2018) 4.5% of GDP (2017) 5.1% of GDP (2016) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have approximately 80,000 active troops (77,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 AF) (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the LAF inventory includes a wide mix of mostly older equipment, largely from the US and European countries, particularly France and Germany; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of armaments (mostly second hand equipment) to Lebanon (2019 est.) |
| Military - note | the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the country since 1978, originally under UNSCRs 425 and 426 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area; following the July-August 2006 war, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1701 enhancing UNIFIL and deciding that in addition to the original mandate, it would, among other things, monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons; UNIFIL had about 10,000 military personnel deployed in the country as of December 2020 |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
