A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced legislation that could provide Lebanon with at least $200 million a year in security assistance, with funding potentially rising to $300 million if Beirut makes measurable progress in disarming Hezbollah and curbing the Iran-backed group's financial and military networks.

The Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization, and Support Act, introduced Friday by Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, seeks to strengthen the Lebanese state while imposing new sanctions on individuals and entities accused of supporting Hezbollah or obstructing efforts to establish the government's monopoly over weapons.

The legislation comes as Lebanon and Israel pursue direct negotiations under a U.S.-backed framework aimed at advancing an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The latest round of talks has also focused on the implementation of pilot zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces are gradually assuming security responsibilities.

Under the proposed legislation, the United States would authorize $200 million annually in security assistance for the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces. That figure could increase to $300 million if Lebanon demonstrates sufficient progress in dismantling Hezbollah's military infrastructure, disrupting foreign financing for the group and combating the trafficking of Captagon and other illicit goods used to generate revenue.

The package would also include $25 million for narcotics control, $11.5 million for nonproliferation, counterterrorism, demining and related programs, and $3.5 million for international military education and training during the first fiscal year.

Sanctions tied to Hezbollah's financial networks

The bill would impose sanctions on foreign individuals who support Iran's financing of Hezbollah or obstruct Lebanon's efforts to disarm the group and reform its financial sector.

The proposed penalties would include blocking property, prohibiting certain financial transactions and restricting visa eligibility, while providing exceptions for humanitarian assistance.

The legislation also targets those who facilitate Hezbollah's continued armed presence, allow Iranian funds to reach the group or interfere with efforts to overhaul Lebanon's banking and financial system.

Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Lebanon had a rare opportunity to restore state authority but that sustained U.S. backing would be essential.

"For the first time in decades, Lebanon has a real chance to reclaim its sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and break free from Iran's malign influence," Shaheen said.

She said the legislation combines sanctions against Hezbollah's enablers with security and recovery assistance and congressional oversight.

The goal, she said, is to help the Lebanese state expand its authority and move toward peaceful relations with its neighbors, arguing that a sovereign and stable Lebanon is in the U.S. interest.

Lankford links bill to Trump-backed talks

Lankford said President Donald Trump's administration had created an opportunity for change by bringing Lebanon and Israel together for direct negotiations, which he described as the first such talks between the two countries in three decades.

"For decades, Iran has used Hezbollah to destabilize Lebanon and Israel and threaten Americans who live in the region," Lankford said. "But President Trump has created a real opening for change by bringing Israel and Lebanon to the table."

He said the legislation would combine sanctions against Hezbollah's financing networks with security assistance for the Lebanese armed forces.

"A sovereign Lebanon protects Lebanese, Israeli and American citizens living in the region, and puts real pressure on the terrorists," Lankford said.

The bill seeks to capitalize on the current negotiations and the trilateral framework involving the United States, Lebanon and Israel, with the broader objective of disarming Hezbollah, strengthening state institutions and integrating communities that have long relied on the group's extensive social services.

Offering an alternative to Hezbollah's services

A central element of the legislation is an effort to reduce Hezbollah's influence by giving the Lebanese state the resources to provide services in communities where the group has traditionally filled gaps left by the government.

The bill would establish an incentive fund to help rebuild infrastructure and expand state-run civil services, particularly in areas where residents have historically depended on Hezbollah for healthcare, education, reconstruction and other assistance.

The proposed approach reflects an assessment that disarmament cannot be sustained solely through security measures. Communities that have relied on Hezbollah's institutions would also need viable alternatives provided by the Lebanese government.

The legislation would therefore authorize continued humanitarian assistance while directing funds toward infrastructure and public services administered by the state rather than by Hezbollah.

Aid would be tied to measurable progress

The proposed security assistance would not be unconditional.

Funding for the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces would be tied to demonstrated progress in confronting Hezbollah and establishing state control over Lebanon's territory. The legislation would also allow U.S. support for efforts to intercept weapons, Captagon and other illicit goods used to finance the group.

The bill would require regular congressional reporting on Lebanon's progress in disarming Hezbollah, reforming its financial sector and securing international donor support.

It would also require assessments of how U.S. stabilization and security funds are being used to provide Lebanese communities with alternatives to Hezbollah, as well as reports on U.S. coordination between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces.

Progress toward peaceful relations between Lebanon and Israel would also be subject to congressional oversight.

A broader effort to reshape Lebanon's security landscape

The legislation comes after years of Iranian influence through Hezbollah, a severe banking crisis and repeated difficulties in forming effective governments. Its sponsors argue that Lebanon's current reform-oriented government offers the best opportunity in decades to strengthen state institutions and put the country on a more stable footing.

The Lebanese Armed Forces, with U.S. support and coordination with Israel, have made progress in efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's military presence, according to the bill's sponsors. But they say Iranian financing and support for the group remain major obstacles.

The humanitarian stakes have also grown. An estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced from southern Lebanon, raising concerns that the country's continuing instability could trigger another regional crisis.

The proposed legislation therefore combines three elements: pressure on Hezbollah and its foreign backers, direct support for Lebanese state institutions, and economic and humanitarian assistance aimed at reducing communities' dependence on the group.

It also reflects a broader U.S. assessment that Hezbollah's military disarmament cannot be separated from the financial and social structures that have enabled it to maintain influence in Lebanon for decades.

If enacted, the bill would make continued U.S. assistance increasingly dependent on Beirut's ability to translate political commitments into concrete steps toward a state monopoly on force, financial reform and greater independence from Iranian influence.

The text of the bill is available here.