Lebanese security forces have arrested two men suspected of being members of Hezbollah after recovering around 500 kilograms of explosives from a vehicle at a checkpoint in eastern Lebanon, according to a security source.
The suspects were apprehended on Thursday afternoon at a security checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar, near a road connecting Lebanon with Syria. They were travelling towards Beirut when security personnel stopped and searched their vehicle.
The source said authorities seized approximately 250 kilograms of TNT-type explosives and another 250 kilograms of C4, a highly explosive substance.
Initial investigations reportedly indicated that one suspect was the son of a Hezbollah official, while the other was also affiliated with the Iran-backed group. However, the intended destination of the explosives remains unclear, the source added.
Lebanese authorities have not officially confirmed the reported arrests or the seizure. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, however, pledged that the investigation would continue until all relevant facts had been established.
In a statement posted on X, Nassar said the inquiry into the seized explosives and any related developments would proceed to its conclusion. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to disarming illegal armed groups, combating terrorism and bringing those responsible for unlawful activities to justice, describing the process as irreversible and accelerating.
Lebanon approved a plan to disarm Hezbollah in 2025, following a ceasefire reached in November 2024 that ended a devastating conflict between the group and Israel.
The fighting resumed in March 2026 after Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Iran amid the wider regional conflict.
Israel subsequently invaded southern Lebanon and continues to occupy a strip of territory in the area. A further ceasefire was reached in June, while Israel and Lebanon agreed on a framework involving Hezbollah’s disarmament, a phased Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the region.
Syria, under former president Bashar al-Assad, had served as a major transit route for weapons and other supplies sent by Iran to Hezbollah.
However, following the overthrow of Assad by new authorities in late 2024, Syrian officials have repeatedly announced the interception of weapons shipments allegedly intended for Lebanon.
Hezbollah, which fought alongside Assad’s forces during Syria’s civil war, has denied maintaining a presence on Syrian territory.
The latest reported seizure comes amid continued efforts by Lebanese authorities to address the issue of unauthorised weapons and implement the country’s disarmament plan.
