The Day of the Paris Military Aid Accord

Lebanese media on December 18 focused heavily on the consolidation of international support for the Lebanese Army. In the morning, editors prioritized General Haykal’s meetings in Paris with French military leadership. By early afternoon, this developed into a formal announcement by France, the United States, and Saudi Arabia of a dedicated support conference scheduled for February 2026.

In the parliament, Speaker Berri successfully convened a legislative session despite boycotts from the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb parties. Media outlets tracked the session's progress until it lost its quorum after passing several laws, including a $250 million reconstruction agreement for the south.

Concurrently, a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa were framed by Speaker Berri and various editors as a direct military message to the Paris participants. By evening, attention shifted toward the upcoming "Mechanism" meeting in Naqoura, with reports indicating Israel intended to raise its level of representation to prevent a return to open warfare.