Lebanon says security forces confiscating illicit arms after 780kg explosives truck intercepted

Lebanon's president has said security forces are confiscating illicit arms after a truck carrying 780kg of explosives was intercepted on a highway between Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley. The development comes amid renewed pressure on Beirut to bring all weapons under state control and to curb cross-border tensions with Israel. The case has also drawn direct attention from Washington after a call between President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

According to the Lebanese Presidential Palace, Aoun told Rubio that security forces are fully carrying out their duties in confiscating illicit arms across the country. The palace said the two discussed explosives that were intended for use against Israel. Rubio, in turn, urged accountability for those who ordered, financed and directed the shipment, and said returning the explosives to Hezbollah should be out of the question.

A US official also said Rubio backed direct military-to-military communication between Lebanese and Israeli forces for deconfliction. The truck was intercepted last week on a strategic route linking Beirut with the Bekaa Valley, a corridor that has long been significant in Lebanon's internal security and in the movement of weapons. Judicial officials said the cargo included 250kg of TNT and 550lb of C4 plastic explosives.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam later confirmed that Lebanon would investigate and track down members of Hezbollah linked to the incident, describing the transport as a criminal operation and praising the security forces involved. The episode matters because it sits at the intersection of Lebanon's domestic security policy, Hezbollah's military role and the risk of escalation with Israel. Lebanon has been under pressure to assert state control over armed groups, while also trying to avoid further damage in the south.

The call with Rubio shows that the issue is not only a Lebanese legal matter but also part of wider US efforts to reduce the chance of miscalculation along the border. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah acknowledged the group's connection to the shipment and said the materials were intended for operations against Israel. He also said Hezbollah had contacted security agencies to clarify ownership of the vehicle and cargo, and demanded the materials be returned and detained personnel released.

That account adds a political dimension to the case, because it suggests the shipment was not treated by the group as an isolated criminal matter but as part of its broader confrontation with Israel. For years, Hezbollah moved weapons freely across parts of Lebanon, but in March the government declared all military activities by the group illegal. That decision has sharpened the legal and political stakes around any new seizure of arms or explosives.

What remains unclear is who organised the shipment, how far the network extended and what consequences the investigation may have for Hezbollah members or state institutions. The next developments to watch are the outcome of the inquiry, any further seizures and whether Lebanon and Israel establish any new channel to reduce the risk of incidents along the border.

#Lebanon #Hezbollah #MarcoRubio #JosephAoun #explosives

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