Syrian national arrested smuggling rocket shells into Lebanon

Lebanese authorities apprehended a Syrian national on the Lebanese-Syrian border while attempting to smuggle multiple rocket shells into Lebanon. The arrest took place in Aaiha, a village within the Rashaya District of Lebanon's Beqaa Governorate.

The Lebanese Army confirmed the seizure of the rockets and stated that the detainee is under the supervision of the "competent judiciary" as an investigation proceeds. The approximately 330-kilometer border between Lebanon and Syria has historically been utilized by various groups, including Hezbollah, other terrorist organizations, and criminal gangs, for smuggling supplies and people in and out of Lebanon.

Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Lebanon reportedly reinforced its border controls to combat smuggling activities. It remains unconfirmed whether Hezbollah was the intended recipient of the seized rocket shells.

In a separate operation announced concurrently, the Lebanese Army arrested 10 other Syrians in the town of Shaath, Baalbek. These individuals were detained for their alleged involvement in a dispute at a local camp, and their weapons were confiscated. These events occur amidst ongoing reports of divisions within Israel's defense establishment regarding the extent of Iran's weapon smuggling to Hezbollah via Syria.

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The rockets were seized, and an investigation is underway, while the detainee remains under the supervision of “the competent judiciary.”