LEBANESE PRESIDENT AOUN ASSURES RUBIO OF ARMS CONFISCATION EFFORTS AMID HEZBOLLAH EXPLOSIVES SEIZURE

Fri 16 October 2026:

US secretary of state calls for accountability over truckload of explosives; Aoun presses for halt to Israeli attacks in south

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun discussed the recent interception of a large shipment of explosives during a telephone call on Thursday with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Lebanese Presidential Palace said.

Aoun told Rubio that Lebanese security forces are fully carrying out their responsibilities by seizing illicit weapons nationwide.

Hezbollah Lawmaker Confirms Link to Seized Truck

Last week, security forces stopped an explosive-laden truck carrying 780kg (1,720lb) of explosives on a highway connecting Beirut to the eastern Bekaa Valley.

On Thursday, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah acknowledged the group’s connection to the shipment and said the materials were meant for operations against Israel. Speaking to reporters at the Lebanese parliament, Fadlallah stated that Hezbollah had promptly contacted the security agencies to clarify ownership of the vehicle and its cargo, while demanding that the materials be returned and any detained personnel released.

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Rubio Demands Accountability, Warns Against Returning Explosives

Rubio pressed Aoun to hold accountable those who ordered, financed, and directed the shipment. A State Department official told US media that Rubio warned that “returning explosives to [Hezbollah] should be out of the question.” The official added that Rubio also called for direct military-to-military communication between Lebanese and Israeli forces “for deconfliction.”

In response, the Presidential Palace said Aoun asked Rubio to urge Israel to stop its attacks and destruction in southern Lebanon.

Separately on Thursday, Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran, according to Israeli media reports.

Details of the Interception and Government Response

On Monday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed that Lebanon would investigate to identify Hezbollah members connected to the incident. Judicial officials told The Associated Press that the truck held 780kg (1,720lb) of explosives, including 250kg (550lb) of TNT and C4 plastic explosives. Salam described the transport as a “criminal operation” and commended the security forces for intercepting the vehicle on the strategic highway linking Beirut with the Bekaa Valley.

Broader Context of Arms and Ceasefire Tensions

For years, Hezbollah transported weapons freely across parts of the country. However, in March the Lebanese government declared all military activities by the group illegal. Despite the government’s commitment to bring all weaponry under state control, the group has said it intends to continue moving arms in its confrontation with Israel.

Earlier this spring, Lebanese and Israeli envoys met in Washington under the auspices of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the first direct diplomatic contact between the two nations in decades. Despite that diplomatic push from Washington, Israel has repeatedly violated the November 2024 ceasefire deal between it and Hezbollah, with Lebanon frequently reporting civilian casualties.

The renewed diplomatic friction comes as heavy Israeli attacks continue across southern Lebanon, where dozens of villages have been systematically demolished and large areas remain under Israeli military occupation, despite a framework agreement signed in June.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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