Checkpoint seizure east of Beirut
BEIRUT: A Lebanon Hezbollah explosives seizure has led to the arrest of two suspected Hezbollah members accused of secretly transporting half a tonne of explosives, a judicial source told AFP on Saturday.
The two men were stopped on Thursday afternoon at a security checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar in eastern Lebanon, near the road linking the country with Syria. They were travelling in a car heading towards Beirut.
A search of the vehicle turned up 250 kilograms of TNT-type explosives and 250 kilograms of C4, the source said. C4 is a highly explosive military-grade substance used in demolitions. The combined haul weighed roughly half a tonne.
Son of Hezbollah official among the suspects
Initial investigations identified one of the suspects as the son of a Hezbollah official, according to the source. The second man is also believed to be a member of the Iran-backed group.
The judicial source spoke on condition of anonymity. Where the explosives were headed remains unknown, the source added.
Lebanese authorities have not officially confirmed the account. Even so, the arrests pile fresh pressure on a state struggling to assert control over armed groups operating on its soil.
Justice minister vows full investigation
Justice Minister Adel Nassar said on Saturday that the investigation would run its full course. Writing on X, he vowed it would continue “to the very end”.
Nassar added that work towards “disarming illegal groups, combating terrorism and prosecuting all outlaws is irreversible and speeding up”.
His remarks underline how sensitive the seizure is. Lebanon approved a plan to disarm Hezbollah in 2025, following a ceasefire the previous November that ended a devastating war between the group and Israel. That ceasefire framework was meant to close the chapter on years of cross-border fighting.
Why the Lebanon Hezbollah explosives seizure matters
The discovery lands at a fragile moment. The conflict flared back to life in March this year when Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of Iran in the wider Middle East war.
Israel invaded in response and still occupies a band of territory in southern Lebanon. A new ceasefire was struck in June, and the two sides agreed a framework deal covering Hezbollah’s disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south. The region has seen repeated Hezbollah-linked attacks since then.
Against that backdrop, half a tonne of military-grade explosives moving towards the capital raises hard questions about whether the disarmament plan is working. It also comes as the wider region reels from other violence, including Israeli strikes that killed five people in Gaza and the Riyadh airport attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthis.
What happens next
The suspects are expected to face further questioning over the shipment and whether others were involved. For now, investigators have not said what the explosives were intended for.
The case will test the government’s promise to prosecute outlaws without exception. It will also test Hezbollah’s standing at a time when the group faces growing pressure to give up its weapons under the June framework deal.
FAQ
Who was arrested in Lebanon over the explosives?
Two suspected Hezbollah members were arrested on Thursday at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint in eastern Lebanon. A judicial source told AFP that one is the son of a Hezbollah official and the other is also a group member.
How much explosive material was seized?
Security forces seized 250 kilograms of TNT-type explosives and 250 kilograms of C4, a highly explosive military-grade substance, from a car heading towards Beirut.
Where were the suspects caught?
They were stopped at a security checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar in eastern Lebanon, near the road linking the country with Syria.
What has Lebanon’s justice minister said?
Justice Minister Adel Nassar vowed on X that the investigation would continue “to the very end”. He said work towards disarming illegal groups and prosecuting outlaws was “irreversible and speeding up”.
Why is the seizure significant?
Lebanon approved a plan to disarm Hezbollah in 2025. The discovery of half a tonne of explosives moving towards Beirut raises questions about the group’s compliance, months after a June ceasefire agreed a disarmament framework.
