Hezbollah has admitted ownership of a massive explosives shipment seized by Lebanese security forces, insisting the materials were intended for use against Israel while openly rejecting a government ban on its military activities.
Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah confirmed on Thursday that the vehicle and its cargo belonged to the group, demanding the immediate release of two detained men and the return of the confiscated explosives.
The admission marks a significant escalation in the confrontation between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, which has launched an investigation into the shipment amid fears that the materials could be used in political assassinations.
Speaking from parliament, Fadlallah said Hezbollah had contacted security and judicial authorities immediately after the vehicle was intercepted at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint, along a major highway connecting Beirut to the Bekaa Valley and Syria.
He said the group had informed authorities that "the vehicle and its cargo belong to the resistance" and demanded "the immediate release of the detainees and the return of the vehicle and its contents".
Fadlallah insisted that the explosives were intended exclusively for use against Israeli forces occupying Lebanese territory, rejecting suggestions that they could be used to carry out political assassinations inside Lebanon.
He accused Prime Minister Nawaf Salam of exploiting the seizure to fuel internal divisions, describing suggestions that the explosives were intended for assassinations as a politically motivated campaign.
The Hezbollah lawmaker claimed that elements within the government were using the incident to serve Israeli and American interests, warning that the group would not tolerate attempts to undermine what it considers its right to resist Israeli occupation.
He also accused the Lebanese authorities of abandoning their responsibility to protect the country and its people.
Fadlallah went further by rejecting the Lebanese government's 2 March decision banning Hezbollah's military and security activities, describing it as unconstitutional and imposed under foreign pressure.
He said the group did not recognise the decision or its consequences on the ground, accusing the government of abandoning southern Lebanon to Israeli occupation.
The lawmaker warned authorities against exploiting Hezbollah's commitment to civil peace and stability to undermine the group or its supporters, arguing that such actions could threaten Lebanon's internal security.
Explosives shipment raises assassination fears
The admission follows the seizure of approximately 500 kilograms of explosives from a grey Dodge Caravan intercepted at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint.
Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar said on Tuesday that security personnel became suspicious of the vehicle because it appeared to be carrying an unusually heavy load.
A search uncovered explosive materials, prompting officers to arrest the driver and a passenger. Both suspects, along with the seized cargo, were handed over to military police on the instructions of judicial authorities.
Salam previously revealed that the vehicle was travelling from the Bekaa Valley towards Greater Beirut and was carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives, including the powerful military-grade explosive C4.
He warned that similar materials had been used in some of Lebanon's most notorious political assassinations.
Sources familiar with the investigation previously told The New Arab that the explosives were of a type used in past political killings, raising concerns about their possible intended use.
"The case is sensitive, and the quantity of materials seized was not small. These materials have been used in political assassinations in Lebanon," the sources said.
However, investigators have not publicly established that the shipment was intended for assassinations, and Hezbollah has insisted that the materials were destined for use against Israeli forces.
The Lebanese army's intelligence directorate and the Internal Security Forces' Information Branch have been instructed by the public prosecutor to expand their investigations and identify everyone involved in transporting the explosives.
Salam has called for the investigation to continue until all those responsible are identified and referred to the judiciary.
He also praised security forces for uncovering an additional quantity of explosives in the Qasr-Hermel area near the Syrian border.
Justice Minister Adel Nassar has called for the case to be referred to the Judicial Council, a special court responsible for cases involving serious threats to national security.
Nassar previously warned that storing explosives in densely populated areas would constitute a serious crime regardless of their intended use.
He also cited concerns over reports that explosive materials had been transported towards Beirut's southern suburbs, warning that the quantities involved could cause devastating destruction.
Pressure mounts over Hezbollah's weapons
The seizure has intensified Lebanon's internal dispute over Hezbollah's arsenal, with opponents of the group urging the government to accelerate efforts to bring all weapons under state control.
On Wednesday, a committee pursuing legal action against Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem held an emergency meeting at the office of MP Ashraf Rifi.
The committee said the explosives seizure could not be treated as a minor security incident and pledged to continue pursuing its criminal complaint against Qassem as new information emerges.
It called on judicial and security authorities to establish the shipment's origin, intended destination and the identities of those involved, while demanding that the investigation remain free from political interference.
The committee also urged authorities to keep investigations into past political assassinations open and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
The developments come amid mounting international pressure on Hezbollah to disarm, with Washington linking billions of dollars in reconstruction assistance to the group surrendering its weapons.
A US State Department spokesperson said this week that Washington was working with Gulf and European partners on a reconstruction assistance package for Lebanon but insisted that Hezbollah must first give up its arsenal.
The confrontation unfolds against the backdrop of Israel's continuing military campaign in Lebanon, which has caused widespread destruction and displacement.
Israeli forces have continued demolishing buildings and damaging infrastructure and agricultural land in southern Lebanon, while occupying parts of the border region.
Hezbollah maintains that its weapons remain necessary to confront Israeli occupation and attacks.