Lebanon: 13 Hezbollah members charged over explosives smuggling
IDF troops found weapons in a civilian home in El-Khiam, while Lebanese courts indicted suspects for a suspected assassination plot.
By Ruben Morales ·
The Lebanese Military Court has charged 13 Hezbollah members with smuggling explosives, a move aimed at reducing the group's military presence and influence in the country.
The indictment covers a smuggling operation that resulted in the discovery of explosives at a checkpoint in the Bekaa Valley in October. Lebanese officials suspect the materials were intended for a political assassination, while Hezbollah stated they were meant for use against Israel.
Lebanese commentators noted that the specific type of explosives matches the materials used in the truck bombing that killed former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Of the 13 men charged, only two remain in Lebanese custody. These two were arrested while transporting the explosives.
In parallel operations, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday that troops from the 769th Brigade uncovered weapons and terrorist paraphernalia in the El-Khiam area of southern Lebanon.
IDF forces dismantled a Hezbollah infrastructure site within the security zone. A video released by the military shows posters of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other terrorists plastered on the walls of a child's bedroom in a civilian home.
Inside the same house, soldiers found guns, ammunition magazines, and other equipment. They also located additional weapons in nearby locations, including rockets, Kalashnikov rifles, and explosive drones. The troops successfully dismantled an explosive drone storage facility in the area.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
