History

Significant events over the past 80 years have given a rise to the LAF stature today:

• 1916 "Legion of the Orient"

  The French government established the eastern unit or the "Legion of the Orient", which was joined by capable Lebanese men.

• 1926 First sharp shooters unit

  The first sharp shooters unit was created out of the Legion of the Orient, a precursor to the creation of the Lebanese Army.

• 1943 Prior to the declaration of independence

  Prior to the declaration of Lebanon's independence on November 22nd 1943, the various military units were combined into the fifth Brigade under the command of Colonel Fouad Chehab. On Independence day, the Lebanese Third Sharp Shooters Regiment was placed at the disposal of the Lebanese government inorder to maintain security. But the greater part of the LAF remained within the French Army in Lebanon until the total evacuation of French troops on August 1st 1945.

• 1944 Official delegation to negotiate with the French

  The Lebanese Government formed an official delegation to negotiate with the French the terms concerning the handing over of the LAF. After nearly three weeks of talks, the joint French-British Command decreed that responsibility for armed units under French control are to be handed over to the Independent Government of Lebanon.

• 1945 On August 1st

  On August 1st at 00:00 hours, the LAF was placed under full authority of the Lebanese National Government.

• 1948 "Third Sharp Shooters Regiment"

  The Lebanese Third Sharp Shooters Regiment fought against the Israeli Forces which were occupying the Lebanese village of Malkieh and liberated it.

• 1958 Sense of unity

  During the internal upheaval of this year, the LAF were able to promote a delicate balance and encourage a sense of unity.

• 1978 Devastation of Israeli forces

  On March 13th, the Israeli forces invaded the southern part of the country, reaching the Litani river. The United Nations Security Council issued resolution 425 which called for the unconditional withdrawal of the Israeli occupying forces to the internationally recognized borders. The UN deployed 4000 troops in the South of Lebanon to ensure the total withdrawal of the Israeli troops and to help the Lebanese Government establish its sovereignty. Lebanon dispatched 700 troops to the South to take positions with UN troops in order to start implementing Resolution 425. When the troops reached the village of Kawkaba they came under heavy Israeli shelling, which impeded further advance. They remained in Kawkaba until the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

• 1982 Israel’s invasion

  Israel's invasion of Lebanon all the way to its capital Beirut resulted in extended suffering of the Lebanese people.

• 1988 Parliament failed to elect a new President

  After the Parliament failed to elect a new President, former President Amine Gemayel appointed a military government before leaving office. Lebanon was thus ruled by two governments, and the army was scattered under two army commands according to their location. This period witnessed the peak of deterioration and polarization, until the decision was made to end the violence and to reunite and reconstruct the armed forces.

• 1990 October 13

  On October 13 a military operation resulted in the unification of the Army, ceasing the fighting and reinstating civil peace in Lebanon.

• 1–5/7/1991 South Dawn Battle

  The Lebanese Army Forces engaged in a battle against armed outlaws in the perimeters of Ayn el-Helwe and Miyi w Miyi Palestinian refugees camp in the City of Sidon. This battle ended when the Army prevailed over the armed outlaws and forced them to retreat towards the two mentioned camps. The Army suffered from casualties and lost martyrs including two martyr officers.

• 25-31/6/1993 Operation Settlement

  The Israeli enemy launched a large scale war against regions in south Lebanon and the west Bekaa valley and confrontations ended with the martyrdom of 132 Lebanese citizens and around 500 wounded. The Lebanese Army intercepted the enemy warplanes and lost 2 martyr troops and a number of troops were wounded.

• 9-26/4/1996 Operation Grapes of Wrath

  The Israeli enemy launched a large scale war against the south regions and west Bekaa and reached far towards Beirut and other Lebanese regions. During this aggression, Israel committed many barbaric massacres against the Lebanese and mainly the massacre of Qana and 169 Lebanese citizens lost their lives. The Lebanese Army units confronted the Israeli enemy’s warplanes where they were deployed and lost martyrs and a number of troops were wounded.

• 26/4/1996 The April Agreement

  Towards the end of Operation Grapes of Wrath, the Understanding of April was signed by Lebanon and the Israeli enemy under French, American and Syrian patronage. The Understanding focused on sparing civilians during military operations conducted between the enemy and the resistance.

• 15/11/1998 Election of General Emile Lahoud as President of the Republic

  General Emile Lahoud was elected President of the Lebanese Republic in succession of President Elias el-Hrawi.

• 21/11/1998 Appointment of General Michel Sleiman as Armed Forces Commander

  General Michel Sleiman was appointed Armed Forces Commander in succession of General Emile Lahoud

• 1-3/1/2000 Donniyé Confrontation

  The Army conducted a large operation against a terrorist group including hundreds of members. This group was entrenched in the barren hills of the Donniyé region. However, the Army forces succeeded in crushing this group and arrested most of its members in addition to confiscating a large quantity of weapons and equipment which were at their disposal. During these confrontations an army officer martyred and a number of troops were wounded.

• 25/5/2000 Liberation Day

  Defeat of the Israeli enemy and its retreat from south Lebanon and West Bekaa with the exception of the Farms of Shebaa, the Hills of Kfarshouba and the northern part of the Ghajar village. This day was declared as the Day of Resistance and Liberation.

• 25/12/2003 Contribution of the Army in the search operations after the crash of an airplane in Cotonou

  The Army Command dispatched a Navy Rangers unit in a unique mission with the aim of contributing to the search operations after the crash of an airplane in Cotonou, Capital of Benin. The efforts of this unit contributed effectively in the recovery of the bodies of the passengers from the sea in addition to saving 22 passengers amongst them 6 Lebanese nationals. This mission was highly appreciated especially by the Benin authorities.

• 2/9/2004 Resolution 1559

  Pursuant to the convocation of the United States of America and France, the International Security Council convened and issued resolution 1559 which included many terms, mainly: the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and the disarmament of all Lebanese and foreign militias. The Lebanese Parliament convened on 4/9/2004 in a session during which article 49 of the Lebanese Constitution was amended and accordingly the parliament extended the term of President Emile Lahoud for three additional years.

• 14/2/2005 Assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri: 14/2/2005 Demonstrations of 8 and 14 March

  Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in a massive explosion which targeted his convoy near Saint Georges Hotel in Beirut. In light of the developments, two massive demonstrations were organized by the 8th of March and the 14th of March Forces in Riyad el-Solh Square and Martyrs’ Square. The Army ensured the safety of these demonstrations. On 26/4/2005 the Arab Syrian Forces concluded its complete withdrawal from Lebanon and the Lebanese Army Command organized an honoring ceremony in the occasion in Riyak Air Base.

• 12/7/2006-14/8/2006 The Aggression of July

  The Israeli enemy launched a devastative war against Lebanon which targeted different Lebanese regions and targeted Lebanese Army posts throughout the country. The Army units valiantly confronted the enemy and frustrated landings conducted in Tyre, the Bekaa and the western Lebanese mountain chain. During this aggression around 1300 Lebanese civilians martyred, among them 50 troops.

• 11/8/2006 Issuance of Resolution 1701 and the deployment of the Army in the southern border.

  The Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1701 which called for a complete cessation of warfare, the deployment of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL south of the Litani river. On 14/8/2006 around 15000 troops headed the southern borders to execute a large scale deployment operation which was called “the unified national will”.

• 20/5/2007–2/9/2007 Confronting terrorism in Nahr el-Bared and pursuing the mission of dismantling terrorist networks

  The Army engaged in fierce combats against Fateh el-Islam terrorist organization in Nahr el-Bared camp. These confrontations ended with the complete annihilation of the mentioned organization and the army suffered from the martyrdom of 170 troops in addition to a big number of wounded. The Army pursued the mission of tracking down terrorist networks in the different Lebanese regions. Accordingly, the army managed to dismantle many of these networks, mainly the ones which targeted unarmed troops in the quarters of el-Tall and el-Bohsas in the city of Tripoli on 13/8/2008 and 29/9/2008 and caused the martyrdom of 13 troops and a number of wounded.

• The Incidents of 2008 and signature of the Doha Agreement

  On 23/1/2008 fierce confrontations confronted opposition forces and the majority forces (8 March and 14 March) in many Lebanese areas. On 7/5/2008 these confrontations reoccurred on a large scale and Army units intervened to restore order. As a result of international and regional efforts, Lebanese politicians signed the Doha agreement in Qatar on 21/5/2008 to put an end to the political crises and set out to a new stage.

• 25/5/2008 Election of General Michel Sleiman as President of the Republic

  General Michel Sleiman was elected President of the Republic by a majority of 118 voices.

• 29/8/2008 Appointment of General Jean Kahwagi as Armed Forces Commander

  General Kahwagi was appointed Lebanese Armed Forces Commander and on the second day he paid a visit to His Excellency the President of the Republic

• 25/1/2010 Crash of the Ethiopian airliner

  The Ethiopian airliner type Boeing 737 – 800 boarding 90 passengers carshed off the shore of Khalde. The units participating in the search and rescue operations managed with an essential effort made by the Army units to find all the bodies of the passengers and succeeded in recovering the two black boxes in addition to the wreckage.

• 3/8/2010 Adaysé confrontation

  The Army units valiantly intercepted an enemy force which crossed the technical fence on the Lebanese-Palestinian border in the perimeter of Adaysé inside a disputed area. This confrontation led to the death and injury of Israeli troops. The Lebanese army also suffered from casualties in this confrontation where two troops martyred and others wounded.

• Fighting Israeli espionage

  The Lebanese Army managed, in cooperation with all other security services, especially in 2009 – 2010, to arrest hundreds of individuals who were collaborating with the Israeli enemy in addition to aborting acts of sabotage targeting Lebanese telecommunications systems and dismantling many Israeli spying and photography devices, mainly the ones detected by the Army on 15/12/2010 in the high mountains of Sannine and Barouk.

• 25/1/2011 Governmental nominations and their circumstances

  Army units deployed throughout Lebanon ensured safety to the citizens and protected the manifestations and demonstrations which broke out in light of the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Cabinet and entrusting Prime Minister Najib Mikati with the mission of forming a new government.