A Lebanese military court charged 13 people over explosives seized from a truck traveling from the Bekaa Valley to Beirut, increasing tensions over Hezbollah’s weapons and the government’s effort to bring arms under state control.
The truck was stopped at the Dahr al-Baydar checkpoint earlier in October. Judicial officials said it carried about 780 kilograms of explosives, including TNT and C-4. Two people were arrested at the time, while the other 11 were charged without appearing in court.
Five of the defendants have been identified only by aliases. The charges include possessing weapons and explosives, trying to weaken state security, and setting up illegal groups, according to Lebanese state media. The case was sent to an investigative judge at the military court.
Hezbollah has acknowledged that the shipment belonged to the group. It said the explosives were intended for use against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. The group called for the explosives to be returned and the two detainees to be released.
The seizure also raised concerns that the explosives might be used against opponents inside Lebanon. But investigators have not established that they were intended for such an attack.