EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on 2026-09-01 that more than 10 EU member states are willing to contribute resources and personnel to a planned mission to advise and train Lebanon's armed forces. ^[1] A Lebanese man identified as Malek Ghazi was released from Israeli detention and handed over to the Lebanese army via the International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday, September 3, 2026. ^[2] A senior Western diplomat told Reuters on 2026-09-01 that there is limited prospect for major decisions on Lebanon's future before Israel's election in late October, and little chance of progress without clear strengthening of the Lebanese armed forces that would enable them to move into areas previously controlled by Hezbollah. ^[3] An unnamed EU official told Reuters that the EU aims to establish the mission in mid-October and then deploy personnel in late 2026 or early 2027. ^[4] The proposed EU mission to advise and train Lebanon's armed forces is designed to help free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. ^[5] This prisoner release represents the first such handover since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war six months ago. ^[6] Dozens of Lebanese prisoners are believed to be held in Israeli detention centers, including civilians and Hezbollah militants. ^[7]