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Lebanese army conducts live-fire demonstration of advanced missiles received from US

Associated Press
Published | Updated

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale, center, arrives in Taibeh village near the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon, Wednesday, June 10, 2015. Hale is to attend a Lebanese army live-fire demonstration of advanced missiles it has received from the United States as part of American assistance to Lebanon as it fights Islamic extremists along its border with Syria. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) (The Associated Press)

A Lebanese army vehicle fires a TOW-II missile in the village of Taybeh, near Baalbek, eastern Lebanon, Wednesday, June 10, 2015. The Lebanese army has conducted a live-fire demonstration of advanced missiles supplied by the United States to help combat Islamic extremists along the country's volatile border with Syria. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) (The Associated Press)

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale, front right, looks through binoculars during a live-fire demonstration of advanced TOW-II missile, in the village of Taybeh, near Baalbek, eastern Lebanon, Wednesday, June 10, 2015. The Lebanese army has conducted a live-fire demonstration of advanced missiles supplied by the United States to help combat Islamic extremists along the country's volatile border with Syria. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) (The Associated Press)

The Lebanese army has conducted a live-fire demonstration of advanced missiles supplied by the United States to help combat Islamic extremists along the country's volatile border with Syria.

The U.S. Embassy says Wednesday's demonstration at a Lebanese army base in the eastern Baalbek region marks the delivery of over 200 TOW-II missiles valued at nearly $10 million.

The anti-tank guided missiles are part of weapons and ammunition shipments that have arrived in Beirut in batches this year.

Islamic extremists have launched several attacks on Lebanese troops over the past two years, particularly in areas near the Syrian border, killing and wounding scores of soldiers.

U.S. Ambassador David Hale attended the event Wednesday.