The Lebanese military announced on Wednesday night that it had detained several individuals in connection with rocket attacks that were fired into Israel last month, The Associated Press reported. The attacks, which took place in late March, sparked a series of Israeli airstrikes on parts of Lebanon.
According to a statement from the Lebanese army, those detained include several Palestinians, the report said. The military confirmed that these individuals were involved in launching rockets in two separate incidents, which triggered intense Israeli retaliation. At the time of the rocket fire, the Lebanese Hezbollah group denied any involvement in the attacks.
The army also reportedly said a vehicle and other equipment used in the rocket launches were confiscated during raids carried out across Lebanon. These detainees have been referred to judicial authorities for further investigation.
On Thursday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that General Rodolph Haikal had briefed the country’s weekly cabinet meeting about the security situation along the Israeli-Lebanese border and discussed the implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolution that brought an end to the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war.
Officials told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity that four Palestinians with ties to the Hamas group are currently being questioned in connection with the incident. A Hamas official confirmed the detentions to the news agency but stressed that those arrested were not involved in the rocket attacks against Israel. The official also reportedly revealed that some members of Hamas had been detained in Lebanon in recent weeks, only to be released shortly afterward. In one case, a Hamas member was detained for carrying an unlicensed pistol, the report said.
Hezbollah’s involvement in cross-border attacks dates back to October 7, 2023, when the group began launching attacks on Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war. The conflict, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 people in Lebanon, ended in late November with a ceasefire brokered by the United States.
Since the ceasefire went into effect, at least 71 civilians have been killed in Lebanon, including 14 women and nine children, the report said, quoting the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
