- Navy:
- Navy of the Lebanese Forces, 1978-91
- Career:
When civil war broke out in Lebanon in 1975 the Christian militias merged into the Lebanese Forces, dominated by the rightist Kataeb (Phalange). Israel supported the Lebanese Forces with arms, supplies and training. In 1978 they created a navy, arming a civilian vessel for transport and patrol duties (Al-Amal, later christened L’Espoir). In 1979 the Navy acquired a second patrol boat (Tracker) and some rubber boats and was given two “Dvora” gunboats by Israel in 1981. They collaborated with Israel and used them against Palestinians and pro-Syrian Lebanese militias. The Civil War ended in 1990 after the Taif Agreement, and the militias disarmed in 1991. The boats were returned to Israel or disarmed.
