A raid on a medical warehouse in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday has brought renewed attention to tensions between Lebanon’s state security agencies and Hezbollah over the limits of security operations in areas where the group holds sway.
A Lebanese security source speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media told MBN that people tried to stop the security patrol from carrying out the raid. The operation proceeded with army support.
The source said Hezbollah demanded that the patrol withdraw, arguing that carrying out the operation could set a precedent allowing security agencies to execute judicial orders in the southern suburbs without consulting the group.
In a statement, Hezbollah, which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, said the incident stemmed from the patrol carrying out a raid “without following the agreed-upon procedure.”
The incident carries added significance because the southern suburbs are one of Hezbollah’s main centers of popular, political and security influence. It comes as the government says it is seeking to place weapons and security authority under the control of official institutions, thereby severely limiting Hezbollah’s operational capabilities.
Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, a former director of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces who is now a lawmaker, told MBN that carrying out the raid on the warehouse could signal a change in how state institutions deal with Hezbollah.
He called for judicial decisions to continue to be enforced without political interference.
Badih Karhani, an expert on armed groups, said the case had added significance because it was referred by the Health Ministry, which is headed by a minister politically aligned with Hezbollah.
Local media reported that Lebanon’s government is working to identify people who sought to obstruct the operation.
Sources told MBN that the warehouse belonged to the son of Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem and that he owned other medicine warehouses. MBN could not independently verify the information. Hezbollah denied in a statement that it had any connection to the warehouse or its contents.
It remains unclear whether the raid marks a change in the state’s approach to Hezbollah or is an isolated incident. But it comes as a separate dispute continues over a shipment of explosives seized in Dahr al-Baidar.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the explosives belonged to the group and were intended for use against Israeli forces in the south. He called for their return and for the release of those detained in the case.
The security source told MBN that the shipment had been seized based on information from a foreign intelligence service and was intended for use in an assassination. Lebanon’s judicial authorities have not publicly confirmed that account.
A government source told MBN that Justice Minister Adel Nassar would propose at an upcoming Cabinet meeting that the case be referred to the Judicial Council.
The Lebanese government has pledged to bring Hezbollah’s arms under state control but so far the group has refused to comply.
On Friday night, Hezbollah supporters rode motorcycles through several Beirut streets, chanting party slogans. The Lebanese army deployed on Saturday in parts of the capital and on the outskirts of the southern suburbs.
Karhani said he thought the actions were intended to demonstrate that Hezbollah retains influence in the southern suburbs and to reinforce its demand for prior coordination before raids are conducted.
The events have revived memories of May 2008, when a government effort to crackdown on Hezbollah’s telecommunications network triggered clashes in Beirut and elsewhere.
The security source said a repeat of that scenario was unlikely, citing differences in the political, military and regional circumstances and Hezbollah’s reduced capabilities.
The possibility of smaller, more limited clashes remains, however, if security agencies continue carrying out their missions without the coordination Hezbollah demands, the source said.
Adapted and translated from the original Arabic.
