Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, discussed the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of explosives from Hezbollah in a conversation with Joseph Aoun, the President of Lebanon, and stressed the necessity of holding accountable those who ordered, financed, and directed this shipment. He also emphasized that returning these materials to Hezbollah should be off the table.
The Necessity of Military Communication Between Lebanon and Israel
Rubio also called for establishing direct military communication between Lebanese and Israeli forces to prevent tensions. Meanwhile, Hassan Fadlallah, a representative of Hezbollah, announced that the seized explosives belonged to this group and were designed for use against Israel. It is reported that these materials were planned for use in suicide drones against Israeli forces.
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Lebanon's Response to Israeli Threats
Joseph Aoun emphasized in this conversation that the Lebanese army and security forces are fully implementing decisions related to preventing armed displays and seizing weapons. He urged Rubio to exert more pressure on Israel to stop attacks on the cities and villages of southern Lebanon.
On March 2, the Lebanese government specifically banned Hezbollah's military activities after the group launched rockets toward Israel in support of Tehran. This action linked Lebanon to a broader conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran that had begun on February 28.
Iran also responded to these attacks by launching missiles toward Israel and Gulf countries hosting U.S. bases. U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, as well as Israeli attacks on Lebanon during this war, have resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced.
Under an agreement reached through negotiations between Israel and Lebanon facilitated by the United States, Beirut committed to disarming Hezbollah, which would gradually lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. However, Hezbollah has not continued its disarmament, believing that as long as Israeli forces are present on Lebanese soil, there is no need to do so, and Israel continues its attacks on southern Lebanon.
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