US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on 15 October regarding the confiscation of hundreds of kilograms of explosives seized from Hezbollah. During the discussion, a US State Department official stated that the administration "underscored that returning explosives to Hezbollah should be out of the question." Washington officials requested that Lebanese authorities secure the materials to prevent them from being recovered or utilized by the group. The conversation between Marco Rubio and Joseph Aoun followed reports of the discovery of the cache in Lebanon. Both parties addressed the management of the seized assets as part of broader diplomatic engagement between the two nations. The US administration emphasized the necessity of maintaining strict oversight of these volatile materials to ensure they do not re-enter the possession of non-state actors operating within Lebanese borders.
Hezbollah Confirms Ownership of Materials
Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah lawmaker, confirmed that the explosives seized by Lebanese security forces last week belonged to his group. He acknowledged the organization’s ownership of the cache during a public statement following the discovery of the materials. Lebanese security forces had recovered the items during operations conducted in the region, prompting the subsequent diplomatic communications between US and Lebanese officials. The confirmation from Hassan Fadlallah establishes the origin of the seized assets that Washington has urged the Lebanese government to secure. Lebanese authorities currently hold the explosives while the administration of President Joseph Aoun manages the internal security implications of the find. The admission by the group clarifies the status of the material previously discussed by Marco Rubio and Joseph Aoun. This formal acknowledgment by Hassan Fadlallah serves as the primary basis for the ongoing security assessment being conducted by Lebanese officials regarding the storage and eventual disposal of the items.
Intended Use Against Israeli Targets
Lebanese security sources and a Hezbollah official stated that the seized explosives were intended for use in drones targeting Israeli troops. These materials were reportedly earmarked for operations against Israeli targets. The specific nature of the hardware recovered indicates that the explosives were integrated into tactical systems designed for airborne deployment. The Hezbollah official noted that the group intended to use the seized explosives against Israel as part of their broader operational strategy.
The Lebanese government banned Hezbollah’s military activities on 2 March. This prohibition remains in effect as authorities manage the security implications of the recovered cache. The legislative framework established by the government on 2 March serves as the legal foundation for the current security operations aimed at preventing the use of such weaponry.
The US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February. Diplomatic and security discussions regarding the seized materials continue as regional tensions persist following the start of that conflict. The ongoing hostilities, which commenced on 28 February, have significantly complicated the security landscape for the Lebanese government. As the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran continues to evolve, the handling of the seized explosives remains a focal point of high-level diplomatic exchanges. Both the US and Lebanese governments are focused on ensuring that the materials do not contribute to the operational capabilities of Hezbollah during this period of heightened regional volatility. The coordination between the two nations is designed to mitigate the risks associated with the presence of such munitions in the current security environment.
