Lebanon's Mossad hysteria: Palestinians with Israeli phone country code spark fear in Beirut
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned what he described as “moral bankruptcy” surrounding the detention of the two Palestinians from Ramallah.
Lebanese officials have dismissed rumors that two Mossad spies were captured in the country, insisting the claims were "fake news." The detention of two Palestinians with Israeli phone numbers has fueled panic in Beirut. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced what he called "moral bankruptcy" behind the rumors, accusing hostile parties of attempting to tarnish his reputation and mislead public opinion.
Lebanese security forces investigated the two men and found they had entered Lebanon legally and had visited the country before. Independent Lebanese news outlet Beirut Time reported claims that Mossad agents had been staying at a hotel in Beirut under Turkish passports, sparking suspicion after the Palestinian men used Israeli phone numbers for a reservation.
An Uber driver and hotel staff alerted authorities, leading to the investigation. Rumors later emerged that Salam had deported the men instead of detaining them, angering anti-Israel voices in Lebanon. Tensions between Lebanon and Israel have reportedly increased following a pager plot in September 2024, when rigged pagers exploded in Lebanon and Syria, injuring and killing Hezbollah terrorists, as well as some civilians.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
