BEIRUT (AP) — The heads of state of Lebanon, France and Jordan will meet Thursday in Paris as part of an effort to drum up support for the struggling Lebanese military.
A donor conference for Lebanon's cash-strapped army was initially set to take place in February, led by France, Saudi Arabia and the United States. However, it was postponed following the eruption of the Iran war and the latest round of the Israel-Hezbollah war.
The Lebanese army has now found itself caught between the Israeli military — now occupying much of southern Lebanon — and Hezbollah. The militant group has refused calls to give up its weapons.
In June, the Lebanese and Israeli governments announced a framework agreement under which Israel would withdraw gradually from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese army would assume control, while Hezbollah would be disarmed. Implementation of the deal has stalled.
Thursday's meeting in Paris will center on preparing the ground for a donor conference. It will also focus on the situation in southern Lebanon and plans for an international presence there after the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL expires at the end of the year, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's office said in a statement.
Hezbollah was severely weakened in the last war that ended in November 2024, and Lebanon subsequently elected Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who committed to disarming Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups in the country.
Lebanon has been criticized by Israel and the United States for not taking direct military action to force the militant group to disarm.
Lebanese officials are wary of a confrontation between the army and Hezbollah, fearing it could spiral into a civil war. The government has also insisted it needs a larger and better-equipped military to deploy across Lebanon and win over Hezbollah’s supporters who question the army’s ability to protect them.
The small Mediterranean country’s military is underfunded and underequipped, for years relying heavily on international donors, notably the United States, United Kingdom, France and Italy.
Saudi Arabia had initially earmarked $3 billion in 2013 to support the Lebanese army with French weapons. But Saudi Arabia decided to halt the aid in 2016 as Hezbollah grew in power politically and the Lebanese government's ties with the kingdom deteriorated.
Many soldiers had left the military or worked second jobs since the country’s fiscal crisis in late 2019, which affected state institutions that once provided decent salaries and benefits, and locked the savings of millions in the banks. The military has struggled to adequately pay salaries as inflation soars and state budgets shrink.
Lebanese army soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint near the border with Israel in the southern village of Mansouri, Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
DENVER (AP) — Ethan Salas hit his first two home runs and became the youngest catcher in major league history with a multi-homer game as the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Wednesday night.
San Diego moved 3 1/2 games ahead of Arizona for the last National League wild card when the Diamondbacks lost 4-3 to Miami at home.
Salas opened the second inning with a first-pitch shot off Rockies starter Mason Adams (0-1) that traveled 426 feet to center field, becoming the youngest catcher to homer in the majors since 19-year-old Iván Rodríguez in 1991.
Salas added a two-run drive that capped San Diego’s four-run fifth and made it 8-1. At 20 years, 107 days, he broke the record held by Butch Wynegar, who was 20 years, 192 days when he hit two home runs for Minnesota on Sept. 22, 1976.
San Diego (83-69) won for the ninth time in 10 games and prevented the rival Los Angeles Dodgers from clinching the NL West title — at least for one night.
Robbie Ray (13-8) allowed three runs and three hits with six strikeouts in six innings for the Padres.
Samad Taylor and Ty France each drove in two runs for San Diego, and Jackson Merrill had three hits.
France hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Fernando Tatis Jr. Jake Cronenworth added an RBI single to give the Padres a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Kyle Karros hit a two-run homer in the sixth for the Rockies, and Adael Amador had an RBI groundout in the first.
Taylor singled leading off the fourth, stole second base and scored on a triple by Dustin Harris to make it 4-1. Taylor added a two-run single in the fifth.
Adams allowed six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Padres RHP Michael King (11-9, 3.03 ERA) starts Thursday against RHP Tanner Gordon (1-4, 5.55) in the series finale.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
San Diego Padres' Samad Taylor breaks from the batter's box after connecting for a single to drive in two runs off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Nick Frasso in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros throws to first base to put out San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Diego Padres' Dustin Harris breaks from the batter's box after connecting for an RBI triple off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Mason Adams in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Diego Padres' Ethan Salas gestures to the bullpen as he circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Nick Frasso in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)wld
San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas watches his two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Nick Frasso in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
