Hezbollah acknowledges ownership of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities

Hezbollah acknowledged on Thursday that a shipment of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities last week belonged to the group, saying it was intended for use against Israel.

The statement came after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed to take firm action against any weapons held outside the authority of the state.

A Lebanese judicial source said on Saturday that security forces had arrested two men suspected of belonging to Hezbollah in the Dhahr al-Baidar area, on the international road between Beirut and the Syrian border, as they were transporting 500 kilogrammes of explosives.

Hezbollah MP Hassan FadlAllah said in a televised statement that the group had contacted the security and judicial authorities after the vehicle was stopped, informing them that “the vehicle and its cargo belong to the resistance”.

He added that Hezbollah had demanded the immediate release of the detainees and the return of the vehicle and its contents, describing the explosives as “capabilities” used by the group against Israel.

The judicial source said the shipment contained 250 kilogrammes of TNT and 250 kilogrammes of the high-explosive material C4.

On Monday, Salam confirmed the seizure of “hundreds of kilogrammes of explosives” and pledged to pursue the investigation thoroughly and expand its scope to identify everyone involved in what he described as a criminal operation, as well as those behind it, and uncover their plans and objectives.

He said his government would take firm action against any weapons held, transported or used outside the framework of state authority.

Since the beginning of October, Lebanese authorities have seized three shipments of explosives being transported from eastern Lebanon.