Lebanon10 October, 20262 min read
Lebanon Arrests Two Suspected Hezbollah Members With 500 Kilograms of Explosives
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Two suspected Hezbollah members arrested at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint near Syria. Vehicle contained about 500 kilograms of explosives, including TNT and C-4.
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Explosives toward Beirut
Lebanese security forces detained two suspected Hezbollah operatives after discovering approximately 500 kilograms of explosives concealed in a vehicle traveling toward Beirut. The suspects were stopped Thursday afternoon at a checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar, eastern Lebanon, near a major route connecting Lebanon and Syria, and security personnel confiscated "250 kilograms of TNT-type explosives and 250 kilograms of C4-type".
A judicial source told AFP that preliminary findings suggested the detainees had connections to Hezbollah, with one man reportedly the son of a Hezbollah official and the other believed to be a member of the organization. Investigators had not yet determined where the explosives were intended to be delivered, and Lebanese authorities had not officially verified the judicial source's information.
Justice Minister vows probe
Justice Minister Adel Nassar vowed on X that "the investigation into the seized explosives, and everything that follows from it, will continue to the very end." Nassar insisted that work toward "disarming illegal groups, combating terrorism and prosecuting all outlaws is... irreversible and speeding up," as Lebanese authorities had not confirmed the judicial source's information.
Naharnet described the two men as being caught Thursday afternoon at a security checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar in Lebanon's east, near a road linking the country with Syria, while they were in a car heading toward Beirut. The reporting said security forces seized "250 kilograms of TNT-type explosives and 250 kilograms of C4-type, a highly explosive substance," and that the explosives' destination remained unknown.
Disarmament framework in focus
The arrests came amid efforts to implement a US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon aimed at securing Hezbollah's disarmament and facilitating a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory. The framework reached in June called for Israeli forces to withdraw gradually as Hezbollah was fully disarmed, and it said the Lebanese military was expected to assume control of designated areas referred to as "pilot zones" following the Israeli withdrawal.
“Under the framework reached in June, Israeli forces are to withdraw gradually as Hezbollah is fully disarmed.”
At a meeting in Rome, Israeli and Lebanese representatives discussed the possible composition of a monitoring mechanism to oversee Lebanese army deployments in the designated areas and supervise the dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure and weapons. Hezbollah did not participate in the negotiations that produced the framework and remained opposed to direct talks with Israel, while the organization refused demands to surrender its weapons and repeatedly violated the ceasefire.