Hezbollah Explosives Seizure Deepens Lebanon’s Disarmament Crisis

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said a 500-kilogram shipment of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities belonged to the group, describing its vehicle and cargo as part of the “resistance” against Israel. He called for the immediate release of people arrested in connection with the seizure and demanded that the explosives be returned, saying they represented capabilities Hezbollah uses against Israel. The admission was described as rare for the Iran-backed group. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the state would no longer tolerate possession of illegal weapons. He stated that authorities would identify everyone involved in what he called a criminal operation, including those who ordered it. A judicial source told AFP that the shipment, found in a vehicle on a road linking eastern Lebanon with Beirut, consisted of 250 kilograms of TNT and 250 kilograms of C-4. The seizure has raised concern because C-4 has previously been used in political assassinations in Lebanon. The article also notes that Hezbollah was accused of several political killings earlier in the decade. Once dominant in Lebanese political life, the group has been weakened by two wars with Israel since 2023. Since a ceasefire in June, it has not claimed further attacks against Israel. The seizure is part of a broader series of explosives interceptions: the Lebanese army has seized two other shipments in eastern Lebanon since the beginning of October. Lebanon and Syria have also been working to curb smuggling across their porous border following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad at the end of 2024.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah acknowledged that hundreds of kilograms of explosives seized by Lebanese security forces in the eastern Bekaa region belonged to Hezbollah. Authorities stopped the explosives-laden vehicle at a checkpoint the previous week and arrested two people. The seizure initially prompted concern that the cargo might be used for car-bomb assassinations or other attacks inside Lebanon. Fadlallah said Hezbollah had intended to use the explosives against Israeli forces occupying parts of Lebanese territory. A Hezbollah official and a Lebanese security source told Reuters that the materials were meant for explosive drones targeting Israeli troops. Fadlallah said Hezbollah had contacted security agencies to identify the vehicle and its cargo as belonging to the group, and asked for the explosives to be returned and the detainees released. The admission highlights the group’s continued movement of weapons despite the Lebanese government’s commitment to bring all arms under state control. That effort includes a government ban on Hezbollah’s military activities, imposed on March 2 after the group fired rockets at Israel in solidarity with Tehran, and a broader disarmament plan. Hezbollah’s ability to move weapons has faced constraints since its principal supply route through Syria was severed after Bashar al-Assad was ousted in late 2024. Syrian authorities have since reported seizing weapons near the Lebanese border that they say were intended for Hezbollah. Lebanese troops also seized and destroyed Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon during 2025, but the government’s roadmap was paused after a new war broke out. A US-brokered deal between Lebanon and Israel calls for Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, with Israeli troops then gradually withdrawing from Lebanon. Hezbollah refuses to disarm while Israeli forces remain on Lebanese land, while Israel continues strikes across southern Lebanon. The competing conditions and continued hostilities underscore the difficulty of implementing the agreement.

Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said the explosive-laden vehicle seized by Lebanese authorities belonged to the group and that its contents were intended to confront Israeli forces. He said Hezbollah had promptly informed officials of its ownership and maintained that its weapons were directed exclusively at Israel. He also demanded the release of two men detained in connection with the vehicle and the return of the vehicle and its contents. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed that the government would show “no leniency” in investigating the seizure and would not tolerate threats to Lebanon’s security. The vehicle was stopped at Dahr Al Baidar in the Bekaa Valley while heading toward Beirut. Reports describe roughly 500 kilograms of explosives—about 250 kilograms of TNT-type material and 250 kilograms of C4. Separately, the Lebanese Armed Forces reported seizing 200 kilograms of explosives in a suspected smuggling attempt from Syria through the Hermel border region. The incidents have increased pressure on the government to disarm Hezbollah and bring weapons under state control. Ministers were expected to consider referring the case from a military court to the Judicial Council, which handles serious state-security cases. The dispute reflects deeper tensions: Hezbollah rejects the government’s ban on its military activities and says discussions about its weapons must wait until Israel stops attacking Lebanon and withdraws from occupied territory. Fadlallah accused Salam of fomenting internal discord. Meanwhile, recent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, continued Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon, and stalled US-brokered talks have left the issue unresolved. The explosives’ interception has also revived fears of political assassinations, given Lebanon’s history of bomb attacks, including the 2005 killing of former prime minister Rafic Hariri and 20 others. Hezbollah members were convicted of that attack by the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon.