Lebanese court presses charges against Hezbollah members over explosives seizure

Lebanon's Military Court has charged 13 Hezbollah members in connection to the seizure of 500 kilograms of explosives from a vehicle bound for Beirut. Judge Claude Ghanem issued the indictments against eight known members, including vehicle occupants Ali Al Kurdi and Haitham Amhaz, plus five others only identified by aliases. The two detained individuals are the sole detainees at this time.

Charges include endangering national security, defying government directives, belonging to a prohibited organization, and possession of firearms and explosives. The penalties face up to ten years in prison. The explosives seizure at a Dahr Al Baidar checkpoint in the Bekaa Valley earlier this month sparked outrage in Lebanon, where southern regions remain under Israeli occupation.

Hezbollah demanded the release of its operatives and the return of the 250kg of TNT and C4 explosives, which they claimed were meant to target Israeli forces. However, the government refused to hand over the explosives, insisting on completing the investigation. The incident has intensified tensions with Hezbollah, which has criticized the government's push for disarmament and its negotiations with Israel.

Some cabinet ministers are pushing for the Judicial Council to handle the case, overseeing national security trials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, urging the return of the seized explosives despite Hezbollah's demands.