( CNN ) -- Saudi Arabia pledged $ 3 billion to the Lebanese Army to strengthen its capabilities , according to Lebanon 's state-run news agency . Lebanon 's President Gen. Michel Sleiman said the money will allow the army to buy weapons from France , and he expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia , according to the statement . `` The Saudi aid to the Lebanese Army is the largest in the history of Lebanon , '' Sleiman said . The announcement comes as French President Francois Hollande is in Saudi Arabia for talks on the crisis in the Mideast and to strengthen economic ties . `` I think a majority of Lebanese would support it -- they want a stronger army -- but it will be divisive . It will create political and ideological tensions , '' says Rami Khouri , an analyst with The Daily Star , a Lebanese newspaper . Lebanon is also home to Hezbollah , which is better equipped than Lebanon 's army and has been supporting government forces in neighboring Syria 's civil war . `` This is the Saudi 's way of thinking they can challenge or weaken Hezbollah or Iran or Syria . This is what they do . They give money , '' Khouri says . Tensions have been rising in Lebanon . On Friday a car bomb in Beirut killed former Lebanese finance minister Mohamad Chatah , an outspoken critic of Hezbollah and the Syrian regime . Sleiman said in the statement that strengthening Lebanon 's army is now critical . `` Lebanon is threatened by sectarian conflict and extremism , '' he said . Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report .
The Lebanese army could get $ 1 billion from Saudi Arabia , says Lebanon Today news agency . The money could buy weapons from Syria , according to a statement . Lebanon 's army is not as well equipped as Syria , which is headquartered in Lebanon . Lebanon has been supporting Syrian government in civil war .