Lebanon's Presidential Palace announced that President Joseph Aoun received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday to discuss the confiscation of explosives intended for use against Israel. During the call, Aoun assured Rubio that Lebanese security forces are fully carrying out their duties in confiscating illicit arms across the country.
Last week, a truck carrying 780kg (1,720lb) of explosives was intercepted on a highway between Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley. Judicial officials told The Associated Press that the consignment included 250kg (550lb) of TNT and 550lb of C4 plastic explosives.
On Thursday, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah acknowledged the group's connection to the shipment, stating that the materials were intended for operations against Israel. Speaking to reporters at the Lebanese parliament, Fadlallah said Hezbollah had immediately contacted security agencies to clarify ownership of the vehicle and cargo, demanding the materials be returned and detained personnel released.
Rubio urged Aoun to hold accountable those who ordered, financed and directed the shipment, warning that "returning explosives to [Hezbollah] should be out of the question", a State Department official told US media. The official added that Rubio also advocated for direct military-to-military communication between Lebanese and Israeli forces "for deconfliction".
In response, the Presidential Palace reported that Aoun asked Rubio to press Israel to halt its attacks and destruction in southern Lebanon. Separately on Thursday, Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Iran, according to Israeli media reports.
The interception comes after the Lebanese government declared all military activities by Hezbollah illegal in March, pledging to bring all weaponry under state control. Despite that, the group has stated its intention to continue transporting arms in its confrontation with Israel. On Monday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed Lebanon would investigate to track down Hezbollah members linked to the incident, describing the transport as a "criminal operation".
Earlier this spring, Lebanese and Israeli envoys met in Washington under Rubio's auspices, marking the first direct diplomatic contact between the two nations in decades.