Lebanese Army Seizes Weapons Cache in Hezbollah Stronghold

The Lebanese Army announced on Friday that it had raided a weapons depot in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah, confiscating a large quantity of arms and ammunition and arresting one individual. This operation follows the apprehension of a truck carrying 500 kilograms of explosives on October 8, which was being transported from eastern Lebanon towards Beirut. The driver and a passenger were arrested at the time, and Hezbollah later admitted the explosives belonged to them. In late October, Lebanese judicial authorities indicted 13 individuals in connection with the explosive shipment, according to a judicial source.

The army stated that the operation was a "qualitative security operation" conducted after precise monitoring of arms trafficking. The raid targeted a weapons warehouse in the Al-Musharrafieh area of the southern suburbs. The army did not specify which entity the warehouse belonged to. The southern suburbs of Beirut are considered a key base for Iran-backed Hezbollah and sustained significant damage during past wars with Israel.

This raid is unusual, as the Lebanese Army rarely announces such operations in the southern suburbs. Following a major war that ended with a fragile ceasefire in November 2024, the Lebanese government adopted a plan to disarm Hezbollah. After renewed conflict began on March 2, with Hezbollah joining Iran, the governments of Lebanon and Iran, with US sponsorship, engaged in direct negotiations. These talks resulted in a framework agreement in June that included Hezbollah's disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern areas, with the Lebanese Army deploying in designated zones.

Hezbollah rejects disarmament, citing its role in resisting Israel, and opposes the direct negotiations conducted by Lebanese authorities with Israel under US auspices.