U.S. delivers arms to Lebanon, says fighting ‘same enemy’

(Reuters) -{ The United States delivered more than $25 million worth of military aid including heavy artillery to the Lebanese army on Sunday to help it fight jihadist groups which have repeatedly battled with security forces near the Syrian border.}

The U.S. ambassador to Beirut, David Hale, said in a statement the weapons would be used to “defeat the terrorist and extremist threat from Syria”.

“We are fighting the same enemy, so our support for you has been swift and continuous,” Hale said at an event marking the delivery of the weapons in Beirut.

The Lebanese army has fought regular battles with armed groups including militants linked to Islamic State and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front in areas near the Syrian border, most recently late last month when six soldiers were killed.

Hale said Lebanon was the fifth biggest recipient of U.S. military aid. It received more than $100 million last year. Lebanese officials have warned of plans by radical Islamist groups fighting in the Syria war to seize territory in Lebanon.

While the U.S.-backed Lebanese army has been battling hard-line Islamists on the Lebanese side of the frontier, the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah has been fighting the same groups on the Syrian side of the border — part of its role fighting alongside Damascus in the Syrian war.