Latest news with #EdmondSassine
LBCI
14 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Deadliest Lebanese Army loss since October: Probe continues into munitions site explosion amid multiple theories
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi The explosion in Wadi Zibqin that claimed the lives of six Lebanese soldiers marks the deadliest loss for the army since October 8, 2023. Three days into the investigation, conducted by the Lebanese Army under the supervision of the military judiciary, a more precise timeline of events has begun to emerge. According to information obtained during the probe, the French battalion of UNIFIL discovered a long-abandoned Hezbollah facility containing a cannon and ammunition. After inspecting the site, the French handed it over to the Lebanese Army, as has been done with dozens of similar locations. The army then conducted its own inspection, spending several days dismantling the cannon and transporting boxes of ammunition. On Saturday, while soldiers were continuing to move the ammunition, an explosion occurred, killing six service members. Alongside technical analysis, the investigation is awaiting a report from the Lebanese Army and the French contingent about the site, as well as the recovery of a critically wounded soldier who could provide crucial testimony about what happened. One theory under consideration is that Hezbollah may have previously booby-trapped one of the ammunition boxes as part of its conflict with Israel, ensuring it would detonate if opened by enemy forces who had previously infiltrated the area. Another theory is that Israeli forces could have rigged the site. This possibility had been explored but not conclusively proven in a previous blast at a similar facility in Wadi Aaziyyeh, which killed one soldier and wounded others. Military sources stress that engineering inspections are conducted before any dismantling or transport, with specialized equipment and procedures in place for handling each box. South of the Litani River, the Lebanese Army operates freely in dismantling Hezbollah facilities, coordinating only with UNIFIL and the ceasefire mechanism. The current battlefield realities and losses suffered by Hezbollah have diminished its ability to maintain complete control or awareness of all on-the-ground developments. For now, the booby-trapping theory remains just one possibility. Investigators are keeping all options open, including the potential for human or technical error, pending the completion of all reports and testimonies that could shed light on the cause of the deadly explosion.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Lebanon's drug cartels under siege: Authorities take down leading drug dealers
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi The killing of Lebanon's notorious drug lord' Abu Salleh,' who rose from poverty to amass vast estates, marks more than just the end of a criminal figure or the dismantling of a gang. It represents a significant strike against the monopolization of the production of Sylvia, one of the deadliest narcotics on the market. Abu Salleh's daily income reportedly reached $50,000, and his criminal networks had spread across multiple regions. Despite facing hundreds of arrest warrants, he returned to Tal Al-Abyad in Baalbek to hide among relatives until security forces eliminated him. In the past five years, the Lebanese Army has dealt a heavy blow to drug networks in the Bekaa Valley, eliminating around 70% of the most dangerous gangs. This crackdown recently culminated in the arrest of several major Captagon traffickers, including Ali M. and Hassan J., prominent dealers of the drug both domestically and for export. Other key arrests include Niazi Z., a leading cocaine trafficker, along with Ali M., who also led kidnapping and drug trafficking operations. While many drug lords have been killed or arrested, others remain at large, including notable figures such as Nouh Zaiter, Abbas M., Hamza J., and Jalal Sh., who was recently linked to one of the largest drug labs seized in Yammouneh. Security agencies are closely monitoring these targets, and current conditions seem more favorable for the army, intelligence, and security forces than in previous years. Before the fall of the Syrian regime, wanted criminals often found refuge in Syrian border villages in the countryside of Al-Qusayr, using these safe havens to plan their operations. However, following the Syrian army's regained control of the border, most fugitives have returned to Lebanon, losing their freedom of movement and shelter. Additionally, international support strengthens Lebanon's fight against the drug trade, seen as both an illegal global market and a potential source of political funding. Gulf countries, which have suffered from drug smuggling originating in Syria and Lebanon, are coordinating with Lebanese authorities to combat this trade, which threatens not only regional security but also the health and future of Lebanese youth.
LBCI
2 days ago
- LBCI
Details emerge: Six Lebanese soldiers killed in South Lebanon explosion
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi The Lebanese Army suffered one of its deadliest single incidents since October 8, 2023, when six soldiers were killed and two others wounded in an explosion in South Lebanon's Wadi Zibqin, near Tyre. One of the injured is in critical condition, raising the army's death toll to 53 since the start of the ongoing conflict. According to the military, the blast occurred while an army unit was inspecting a weapons depot and working to dismantle its contents. Army forces have been operating in the area for days, and it was not the first time they had conducted such missions in the valley, which has been used to store munitions. Israeli airstrikes repeatedly and heavily targeted Wadi Zibqin during the war and after the cease-fire agreement. The area is known to contain Hezbollah military infrastructure. Since the agreement, the Lebanese Army has been working alongside UNIFIL to dismantle facilities, sites, and storage depots belonging to Hezbollah south of the Litani River, without facing significant obstacles. In its initial statement, the army confirmed only that an explosion had occurred during an inspection and dismantling operation, adding that it is working to determine the cause of the incident. This is not the first such tragedy to strike the military. In April last year, a similar explosion occurred in Wadi Aaziyyeh when a suspicious object detonated during an engineering inspection, killing one soldier and wounding three others. Months later, during the war, an army vehicle transporting munitions exploded in Braikeh near Nabatieh, also resulting in casualties.
LBCI
14-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
In the crossfire: Can Lebanon stay out of the Iran-Israel war?
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi As drones, rockets, and warplanes traversed Lebanon's skies amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, Lebanese authorities are intensifying political and security efforts to prevent the country from being pulled into the widening regional war. On the ground in South Lebanon, the Lebanese Army has bolstered its deployment at sensitive locations to prevent rocket launches that could provoke further escalation. Measures have also been tightened at checkpoints leading to areas south of the Litani River to prevent any armed group from exploiting the volatile situation. In parallel with military and security efforts across the southern region, Lebanese intelligence services have issued explicit warnings to Palestinian factions, urging them not to involve Lebanon in the conflict under any pretext. Security sources noted that through formal communication channels, they sensed a clear stance from Hezbollah to avoid engagement in the current conflict and to keep Lebanon out of the hostilities. Despite repeated Israeli airstrikes and the assassination of several Hezbollah members following the ceasefire agreement, the group has refrained from retaliating. Sources indicate that Lebanese security attention is also focused on the country's interior and the Syrian border in northern Bekaa, where concerns remain about the potential for opportunistic infiltration or clashes. An exchange of fire on the border Friday was described as limited in scope, with no reports of Syrian reinforcements entering the area. President Joseph Aoun chaired a high-level security meeting with the ministers of interior, defense, and public works, as well as the heads of Lebanon's security agencies, to assess recent developments. The resulting statement emphasized steps being taken to maintain internal stability, ensure the safety of civil aviation, and preserve operational readiness. Amid the ongoing regional and international developments, Lebanon continues to prioritize the renewal of the U.N. peacekeeping force mandate in the south. Recent Israeli media claims suggesting the mission might be canceled were denied by U.S. officials. This position was reinforced by a visiting U.S. delegation in Beirut this week, which met with key stakeholders and heard both the UNIFIL and Lebanese perspectives. Lebanese authorities emphasized the critical role of UNIFIL in supporting the Lebanese Army and maintaining stability along the southern border, warning that a withdrawal would isolate the army and risk further destabilizing the region.
LBCI
09-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
UNIFIL faces local pushback in Lebanon's south amid Israeli calls to end mission — what's next for the force?
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian Amid Israeli calls to oppose the renewal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's (UNIFIL) mandate in the country's south and end its mission in August, a series of incidents and protests has emerged in southern villages. Local residents have objected to UNIFIL patrols operating in their neighborhoods and on their land without accompaniment by the Lebanese army. Why, then, is UNIFIL conducting patrols and missions without the army? Or, put differently: If the presence of the army helps ease tensions between UNIFIL and the Hezbollah-supportive population, why isn't the army always present? According to Lebanese sources, UNIFIL carries out daily joint operations with the army but also conducts separate patrols and missions on its own. The limited number of army personnel in the south does not allow for the accompaniment of all UNIFIL patrols, and Resolution 1701 grants the U.N. peacekeeping force the right to move independently. Most UNIFIL patrols, whether or not accompanied by the army, do not result in incidents. The sources add that local objections often stem from specific actions UNIFIL carries out — such as entering private property or filming homes — actions that typically do not occur when the army is present. Trust between the local population and UNIFIL remains low, especially as it frequently conducts operations near Hezbollah-affiliated villages and facilities and sometimes brings media crews along. Meanwhile, it is seen as doing little in practice to confront Israeli violations or enforce the ceasefire. The recurrence of incidents involving specific units has led some Lebanese observers to suggest that there may be an internal push within UNIFIL to assert its role and presence, even in the face of local objections. This could serve to build momentum for modifying the mission ahead of its renewal in two months, aligning with Israeli efforts to end or alter the current UNIFIL mandate. According to the same sources, the current Israeli pressure to terminate the mission resembles the kinds of pressure applied in past years as the renewal deadline approached each August. This time, it is being framed as part of a broader push on Lebanon and Hezbollah to accept a change in UNIFIL's role — particularly in light of the new reality following the war, the losses Hezbollah has sustained, its military pullback from south of the Litani River, and the dismantling of its infrastructure in the area. While several sources confirm that Hezbollah has not decided to escalate or intentionally provoke recent incidents with UNIFIL, the group insists that UNIFIL's activities must be carried out in coordination with the Lebanese army.
