(CNN) The Trump administration has lifted a mysterious hold on security assistance to Lebanon , which includes a $105 million package to support the Lebanese Armed Forces , according to a senior State Department official and a congressional aide. "There was no legitimate security rationale to withhold funding, and lots of reasons why withholding aid would actually hurt US interests. In November, fresh off a trip to Ukraine, Murphy tweeted at length about the hold, saying that "just like w the Ukraine aid, Trump has given Congress no reason for the funding hold." "As stopping Ukraine aid helped Russia, here the hold empowers Iran to step into the vacuum. A Senior State Department official would not say if the case of Fakhoury and the hold on the US security assistance were related -- but did say that the two issues have been "periodically" linked at times in the past.

Source: CNN December 02, 2019 21:22 UTC