Lebanese leadership negotiates EU military force deal to replace UNIFIL mandate

INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, with PM Nawaf Salam, is pushing to sign an EU military cooperation deal to bring in a European force replacing UNIFIL when its mandate ends this year, per Al-Akhbar. Aoun is treating it as needing no cabinet approval or parliamentary law, backed by the U.S., which favors limiting European participation to Italy. His Rome visit will raise the file with PM Giorgia Meloni.