The Lebanese army has apprehended individuals suspected of launching rockets from the south toward Israel [Getty]
The Lebanese army has arrested several individuals suspected of involvement in recent rocket fire from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel, as tensions escalate along the border following Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The announcement came on Saturday during a visit by Lebanese army Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal to the South Litani Sector Command in Tyr, where he said the suspects were currently under investigation and that further inquiries were ongoing to determine responsibility for the attacks.
“Rocket fire from Lebanese territory toward the occupied Palestinian territories serves the enemy,” Haykal said. “Our duty is to protect Lebanon and its citizens, regardless of their affiliation.”
General Haykal praised the army units deployed in southern Lebanon for playing “a vital role in strengthening the nation”, while stressing that the main obstacle to the full deployment of the Lebanese army and the preservation of the ceasefire remains “the Israeli enemy’s continued occupation of Lebanese territory, its repeated attacks, and violations of national sovereignty”.
He reiterated the army’s commitment to implementing UN Resolution 1701 and maintaining the ceasefire agreement, in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in line with the directives of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese government.
On Sunday, local media reported that several Syrian and Palestinian individuals had been detained near the rocket launch area but were later released following interrogation.
Tensions have risen dramatically following Israel’s airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb of Hadath on Friday – the first such strike since the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended a brief but intense wider conflict.
The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents of the targeted building more than an hour before the strike, and conducted initial warning shots before carrying out the main attack.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah denied any role in the rocket fire from southern Lebanon, insisting it remains committed to the ceasefire and accusing Israel of “fabricating pretexts to continue its aggression on Lebanon”.
Despite relative calm on Saturday following the deadly escalation that had killed at least six people in southern Lebanon on Friday, tensions remained high.
A French UNIFIL patrol came under fire from an Israeli position while inspecting an earth mound erected by Israeli forces in Wadi Qatmoun, near the border village of Rmeich in the Bint Jbeil district.
In a separate incident, Israeli soldiers opened fire with machine guns toward the eastern neighbourhoods of Kfarchouba (Hasbaya district), damaging homes and vehicles.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli forces also dropped two stun grenades in Yaroun (Bint Jbeil district), according to Mountasser Abdallah. No injuries were reported.
