"Although U.S. officials said the military aid to Lebanon had been agreed to before the fighting broke out this week, the speedy shipment Friday marked the first tangible U.S. backing of the Lebanese authorities’ fight with the militants. By early afternoon Friday, a total of five military transport planes landed at the Beirut airport, including one from the U.S. Air Force, two from the Emirates’ air force and two Royal Jordanian Air Force planes. Both Jordan and Emirates are close U.S. allies. U.S. military assistance, limited during Syria’s control of Lebanon until 2005, increased after last year’s summer war between Lebanese Hezbollah militants and Israel."