Editing Lebanese Armed Forces (section)

==Branches==

===Armed Forces Command===
The LAF Command is headquartered at Yarzeh. The Military Council has 6 members which includes the Army Commander, the Chief of Staff and 4 generals representing the Sunnis, Shi’a, Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=lebanons01 |date=2015-02-13 |title=Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) |url=https://civilsociety-centre.org/party/lebanese-armed-forces-laf-0 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Civil Society Knowledge Centre |language=en}}</ref>
* [[President of Lebanon|The Commander-in-Chief]]
* [[Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces|The Commander of the Armed Forces]]
* The Chief of staff
* Deputy Chiefs of Staff
* Various Directorates

===Chiefs of staff===
* Tawfiq Salem (August 1 1945 - December 31 1958)
* Youssef Shmait (January 1 1959 - June 11 1971)
* Saeed Nasrallah (June 12 1971 - June 30 1976)
* Mounir Tarabay (May 3 1977 - February 14 1983)
* Nadim Al-Hakim (February 15 1983 - August 22 1984)
* Mahmoud Tayy Abu Dargham (November 14 1984 - June 30 1987)
* Riyad Takieddine (January 16 1991 - June 39 1997)
* Samir Al-Qadi (July 24 1997 - June 30 2000)
* Fadi Abu Shakra (July 1 2000 - November 1 2002)
* Ramzi Abu Hamza (November 1 2002 - July 22 2005)
* Shawqi Al-Masry (October 10 2005 - April 7 2011)
* Walid Salman (April 7 2011 - September 30 2016)
* Hatem Mallak (October 1 2016 - October 15 2018)
* Amin Al-Aram (April 4 2019 - December 25 2022)
* Hassan Awda (February 8 2024 - Present)

===Lebanese Ground Forces===
The Lebanese Ground Forces ({{langx|ar|القوات البريّة|al-quwwat al-barriya|lit=Ground Forces}}) are by far the largest of the three branches of the military.<ref name=":3" />

The Lebanese Ground Forces consist of:<ref name=":3" />
* '''5 Regional Commands'''
** Beirut Region
** Bekaa Region
** Mount Lebanon Region
** North Region
** South Region
* '''11 Brigades'''
** 5 Heavy (Mechanised) Brigades
*** 1st Infantry Brigade
*** [[2nd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|2nd Infantry Brigade]]
*** [[3rd Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|3rd Infantry Brigade]]
*** [[5th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|5th Infantry Brigade]]
*** [[6th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|6th Infantry Brigade]]
** 6 Light Brigades
*** [[7th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|7th Infantry Brigade]]
*** [[8th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|8th Infantry Brigade]]
*** [[9th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|9th Infantry Brigade]]
*** [[10th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|10th Infantry Brigade]]
*** 11th Infantry Brigade 
*** 12th Infantry Brigade
* 1st Artillery Regiment
* 2nd Artillery Regiment
* Signals Regiment 
* Lebanese Commando Regiment
** Includes the '''Mountain Combat''' Company.
* Lebanese Airborne Regiment
* Counter-Sabotage Regiment (Moukafaha)
* 1st Intervention Force Regiment
* 2nd Intervention Force Regiment
* 3rd Intervention Force Regiment
* 4th Intervention Force Regiment
* 5th Intervention Force Regiment
* 6th Intervention Force Regiment
* [[Republican Guard (Lebanon)|Republican Guard Brigade]]
* Medical Brigade
* Support Brigade
* Logistics Brigade
* Military Police
* Army Band
* Independent Construction Regiment
* [[1st Armored Regiment (Lebanon)|1st Armored Regiment]]
* 1st Land Border Regiment
* 2nd Land Border Regiment
* 3rd Land Border Regiment
* 4th Land Border Regiment
The [[4th Infantry Brigade (Lebanon)|Fourth Brigade]] was previously active but was disbanded in 1984.

===Lebanese Air Force===
{{Main|Lebanese Air Force}}

The Lebanese Air Force ({{langx|ar|القوات الجوية اللبنانية|al-quwwat al-jawiyah al-lubnaniyah}}) currently has a number of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft including the Bell [[UH-1 Iroquois|UH-1H]] Huey, [[Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma]], [[Aérospatiale Gazelle|Gazelle]], [[Cessna Caravan]], and various others. The air force is currently in the process of restoring its jet capabilities and considering the purchase of a small number of fighters or jet trainers.<ref name=":3" />

===Lebanese Naval Forces===
{{Main|Lebanese Navy}}

The [[Lebanese Navy]], officially the '''Lebanese Naval Forces''' ({{langx|ar|القوات البحرية اللبنانية|al-quwwat al-bahriya al-lubnaniyah}}) is responsible for protecting [[Lebanon]]'s [[territorial waters]], [[port]]s, and fighting illegal smuggling of goods. At the head of the naval hierarchy is the Navy Command, then it branches off into the quarter-general of the Navy, the Department of Naval Equipment Stores, the Naval School, [[Beirut]] Naval Base and the [[Jounieh]] Naval Base.

The navy, which currently lacks a suitable amount of equipment, has approximately 50 vessels of various sizes and roles; however, it is trying to modernize itself and increase its size.

===Lebanese Special Forces===
{{Lebanese Military}}
{{Main|Lebanese Special Operations Command}}
The Lebanese Special Forces are the elite of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Those who enroll are subjected to rigorous training regimes and must be in peak physical and mental condition prior to their ascension to such a highly desired position. Each branch of the Armed Forces maintains its own form of Special Forces or Commandos. These include:
* [[Lebanese Commando Regiment|Commando Regiment]] (Also known as the [[Maghaweer]])
* Lebanese Airborne Regiment - Moujawkal
* [[Marine Commandos]]
* Lebanese counter-terrorism and sabotage unit (Moukafaha)
* Panthers (part of the [[Internal Security Force]], i.e. police)

In 2008, the Lebanese Armed Forces started establishing the [[Lebanese Special Operations Command]] in order to group the LAF's elite units. These special operations forces will include the Airborne Regiment, the Rangers Regiment, the Navy Commandos Regiment, and the Counter-Sabotage Regiment of the Military Intelligence. The initial size of the force will be less than two brigades, around 5,000 troops, but the plan is to enlarge it up to three brigades.<ref>{{Cite news
 |last       = Kahwaji
 |first      = Riad
 |title      = Special Operations Command, More Military Aid for Beirut
 |newspaper  = Defense News
 |date       = January 21, 2008
 |url        = http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3308844
 }}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
</ref>

===Colleges and schools===
The Lebanese Armed Forces has six official military colleges and schools that serve a wide variety of functions from officer training to overseeing national youth conscription programs. The recent emphasis on the First Flag Service Center is designed to help overcome the diverse nature of the population. The schools and colleges are:
* [[Fouad Shehab Command and Staff College]]
* [[Lebanese Army High Center for Military Sport|High Center for Military Sport]]
* [[Lebanese Army Military Academy]]
* [[Lebanese Army Skiing and Mountain Fighting School|Skiing and Mountain Fighting School]]
* [[Lebanese Army Teaching Institute|Teaching Institute]]
* [[Lebanese Air Force Aviation School|Air Force Aviation School]]
* [[Lebanese Army Naval Academy|Naval Academy]]
* Lebanese Special Forces School

The Staff and Command College, Military Academy, and Mountain Skiing Fighting School are training centers for Lebanese soldiers designed to upgrade the quality of their skills while the High Center for Military Sport is designed to keep them in peak physical shape (it also organizes sports groups and teams for international competition as well). The Training Institute is designed to help soldiers specialize in certain aspects of the military, such as artillery and defense.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/lebanon/schools.htm|title=Military Colleges & Schools|publisher=GlobalSecurity.org|access-date=December 12, 2008|archive-date=October 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013215147/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/lebanon/schools.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>