Key facts
- Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah confirmed the group owned the seized explosives.
- The explosives were intended for use against Israel, according to Hezbollah.
- Lebanese authorities seized the explosives and arrested two people last week.
- Hezbollah's military activities were previously banned by the Lebanese government.
- A US-brokered deal aims to disarm Hezbollah in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawal.
A Hezbollah lawmaker stated on Thursday that hundreds of kilograms of explosives seized by Lebanese security forces last week belonged to his group and were intended for use against Israel. Hassan Fadlallah, speaking to reporters at the Lebanese parliament, said the explosives were meant for explosive drones targeting Israeli troops. Lebanese authorities stopped the vehicle carrying the explosives at a checkpoint in the eastern Bekaa region last week and arrested two people. The acknowledgment comes amid ongoing tensions over the Lebanese government's efforts to bring all arms in the country under state control. The government had previously banned Hezbollah's military activities after the group launched rockets at Israel. Under a US-brokered deal, Beirut has vowed to disarm Hezbollah in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawal, but the group has refused to disarm as long as Israeli forces remain on Lebanese land.