Lebanon PM vows to track down suspects after truck carrying explosives intercepted

Lebanese authorities is set to launch an extensive investigation to identify and track down suspected members of the militant Hezbollah group, who may be connected to a truck carrying explosives intercepted at the Dahr al-Baidar checkpoint last week, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Monday.Salam termed the incident a “criminal operation” and commended security personnel for stopping the vehicle on the major highway connecting Beirut with the eastern Bekaa Valley.Information minister Paul Morcos said the two individuals detained in connection with the incident had been referred to judicial authorities. He added that security agencies would continue their efforts to identify and apprehend others suspected of involvement.Judicial officials told The Associated Press that the truck was transporting 780 kilograms (1,720 pounds) of explosives. The consignment reportedly included 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of TNT and another 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of C4 plastic explosives.According to the officials, the two detainees claimed they had been instructed to transport the materials from Baalbek, in northeastern Lebanon, to Beirut without being informed of their intended use. They were allegedly supposed to deliver the consignment to a man south of Beirut, identified by the detainees using the nom de guerre Zulfiqar.It remained unclear whether the explosives were intended for use in fibre-optic drones that Hezbollah has been deploying against Israeli troops stationed in parts of southern Lebanon.During a meeting, Salam assured the public that the government would pursue the investigation comprehensively to establish the identities of everyone involved and those directing the operation.“Our government will not tolerate anyone who dares to tamper with the country's security, safety, and stability,” Salam said, according to Morcos.The prime minister also stressed that the government would take decisive measures against the possession, transportation or use of weapons outside state control.For years, Hezbollah was able to move weapons relatively freely in parts of Lebanon. However, the situation changed in March, when the Lebanese government declared all military activities by the Iran-backed group illegal.The decision followed Hezbollah's launch of rockets into northern Israel, triggering a conflict that has killed nearly 4,000 people in Lebanon. The group fired the rockets two days after Israel and the United States began a war against Iran, Hezbollah's principal backer.Morcos said Salam acknowledged public concerns surrounding the intercepted explosives shipment. He also pointed out that C4 had been used in several notorious political assassinations in Lebanon's recent history.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.