Lebanese Court Summons Hezbollah Officials Over Explosives Seizure
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Lebanese authorities have summoned two Hezbollah officials for questioning following the seizure of over half a ton of explosives. The explosives were found in a vehicle with two suspected Hezbollah members on October 8, and a Hezbollah MP later admitted the cargo belonged to the organization. The Lebanese government is seeking to reassert state control over weapons amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah, which refuses to disarm while Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Lebanese authorities summoned two Hezbollah officials for questioning over a large explosives seizure.
- Over half a ton of explosives was found in a vehicle with two suspected Hezbollah members on October 8.
- Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah acknowledged the explosives belonged to the organization and demanded their return.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Lebanon not to return the seized explosives to Hezbollah.
- The incident highlights Lebanon's struggle to assert state control over weaponry and disarm Hezbollah.
- Hezbollah refuses to disarm as long as Israeli forces remain deployed in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese judicial authorities are intensifying their investigation into a significant seizure of explosives linked to Hezbollah. On Tuesday, a judge ordered the summoning of two Hezbollah officials for questioning regarding their involvement in the case, as security services are actively seeking to locate and arrest them, according to a judicial source cited by AFP. The incident began on October 8, when two men suspected of belonging to Hezbollah were apprehended at a checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar, eastern Lebanon. They were traveling towards Beirut in a vehicle carrying over half a ton of explosives. One of the suspects is reportedly the son of a Hezbollah official. Initial investigations led authorities to identify two additional alleged officials, whom the judge has now summoned. Authorities are currently working to find these individuals for interrogation.
The case gained further prominence on October 15 when Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah acknowledged that the explosives belonged to the organization. He demanded the return of the seized material and the release of the two arrested men, stating the explosives were intended for use against Israeli forces. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, urged Beirut not to return the explosives to the group.
This development occurs as Lebanese authorities aim to reassert state control over weaponry and disarm Hezbollah, which is engaged in a standoff with the government over the issue. The seizure has also raised concerns about the potential use of the explosives against domestic opponents in Lebanon, although no responsibility for any assassination plots has been established at this stage. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has pledged to pursue those possessing weapons outside state control, and President Joseph Aoun has reiterated that the army and security forces will continue to seize illegal arms and ammunition. Hezbollah, supported by Iran, maintains its refusal to relinquish its arsenal as long as Israeli forces remain deployed in southern Lebanon.
Mentioned
