A Lebanese army drone killed a notorious drug lord. Was it an extrajudicial execution?

The Lebanese Army's recent killing of a wanted criminal using drone technology has raised questions about the military's authority to use targeted assassination against criminal suspects.

The  operation a few weeks ago in the northern Beqaa Valley town of Al Sharawneh saw an army drone fatally hit Ali Munther Zaiter, one of Lebanon's most wanted criminals, in a strike that has raised fundamental questions about due process, legal oversight, and the boundaries of military authority in civilian law enforcement. 

Zaiter had an extensive criminal record involving drug trafficking, armed gang formation, and kidnapping operations. Most notably, he was involved in the 2023 abduction of Saudi citizen Mishari Al-Mutairi. Authorities had issued more than 1,000 arrest warrants against him, and he received a death sentence in absentia in 2024. 

While Lebanese laws prohibit law enforcement from carrying out executions outside the judicial system, legal experts consulted by The New Arab believe the incident took place within the context of the rules of engagement in the pursuit of wanted fugitives.

Lebanese veteran lawyer Munir Al-Zoghbi explained the army's position on drone use against civilians, even criminals: "The use of drones relates to field matters. When there is a clash or imminent danger to army personnel or civilians, there are instructions for the army to open fire, and the personnel comply with them. Fire is opened whether from drones or other weapons, and this is within the framework and instructions for opening fire." 

Al-Zoghbi emphasised that such decisions often require immediate action: "The decision rests with the responsible officer in the field or battle, or a signal from the army's operations room. But sometimes the situation requires quick action, and only field instructions are taken with an immediate and direct decision to open fire or engage from the responsible field officer, whether to kill or immobilise the targeted person or individuals." 

Saliba Al-Hajj, representative of the Bar Association at the Military Court, defended the army's authority to conduct such operations without judicial authorisation.

"Any targeting of any individual via drones falls under army intelligence and does not need any judicial order, as this is within the duties of the Lebanese Army and by mandate from the Council of Ministers to maintain security. The army is responsible for protecting Lebanon's sky, land, sea, and people." 

However, Al-Hajj acknowledged important limitations to this authority, excluding "populated and enclosed places within the sanctity of homes, as these require judicial authorisation." 

This position raises critical questions about the scope of military authority in civilian contexts. While the army claims broad security mandates, legal experts question whether targeted killings of wanted criminals constitute legitimate security operations or represent an overreach of military power into civilian law enforcement. 

It is not clear whether the Lebanese army had a chance to apprehend Zaiter to bring him in, or faced imminent threats during his pursuit. In its official statement and according to media reports, the strike occured during armed clashes, though the Lebanese Army's statement did not confirm the use of drones.

The Lebanese army did not respond to requests for comment from The New Arab. 

Legal vacuum

The Zaiter case has exposed significant gaps in Lebanon's legal framework governing drone use and military authority in civilian contexts. Al-Zoghbi highlighted these deficiencies: "When the Lebanese Army established standards for drone use, it focused on security and public safety but did not address privacy protection. Lebanon lacks specific legal text regulating drone use in either criminal or civil procedure codes." 

This legal vacuum creates challenges in enforcement and accountability. "We have privacy protection in Lebanon, and drone use depends on prior licensing from the Lebanese Army, but regarding cases related to security, there are no legislations or laws regulating this matter," Al-Zoghbi explained. 

The absence of clear legal frameworks means that such operations exist in a grey area where military commanders make life-and-death decisions without explicit judicial oversight or clear legislative guidance. 

Despite the absence of specific drone legislation, some existing laws provide indirect protection mechanisms, though their application to military drone operations remains unclear. 

Al-Hajj outlined current protections: "There are general laws that apply indirectly to drone use such as the Personal Data Protection Law in Lebanon, namely the Electronic Transactions and Personal Data Law (Law 81/2018), which is the main legal framework regulating the collection and processing of personal data, and the Lebanese Penal Code, for example Article 579, which punishes anyone who breaks into a person's residence without permission or monitors someone inside their home." 

However, these laws were not designed to address military drone operations or targeted killings, leaving fundamental questions about accountability and legal oversight unanswered. 

From consumer gadgets to military assets

The rapid evolution of drone technology has outpaced the development of legal frameworks, according to Mazen Hamdan, a drone consultant specialising in aerial surveying at the Arab Union for Surveying.

"Licenses and regulations for drone use are processed through the Operations Directorate, Air Force Command, and Geographic Affairs Directorate of the Lebanese Army," Hamdan explained. 

The price range varies dramatically across applications. Commercial consumer drones cost between $40 and $50, while military-grade systems can reach millions of dollars. Popular DJI brand drones range between $5,000-6,000, excluding operator fees for specialists who undergo training in photography ethics and operational objectives. 

Military-grade capabilities represent a significant technological leap. These advanced systems can provide three-dimensional coordinates with pinpoint accuracy, even during nighttime operations using infrared cameras, for security monitoring, surveillance, and military targeting. 

The precision capabilities are remarkable across civilian applications as well.

"In our surveying work, we can take measurements of a window and its exact height and location through specialized civilian drones," Hamdan noted. 

This article is published in collaboration with Egab