Lebanese army says it detained suspects in March attacks on Israel, no mention of Hezbollah

The Lebanese army said on Wednesday it had detained a number of Palestinians and Lebanese suspected of involvement in two attacks from the country on Israel in March and did not mention Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has denied any role.

On March 28, Israel carried out its first major airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs in months, retaliating for an earlier rocket launch from Lebanon. Israel had struck southern Lebanon on March 22 after it said it intercepted rockets fired from across the border.

The Israeli attacks amounted to the most serious test of a shaky ceasefire deal agreed in November between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Lebanese armed group has denied any involvement in the rocket firing.

In its statement, the Lebanese army did not mention Hezbollah. It said it conducted raids in several areas, detained a number of individuals and confiscated the equipment used in the two attacks.

The New Arab's Arabic language sister site Al-Araby al-Jadeed, citing a Lebanese security source, stated that "the fingerprints collected played a key role in identifying those involved in the rocket launches".

The unnamed source also told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that "investigations are ongoing to apprehend all individuals linked to the two incidents".

"A number of suspects have been detained, though the figure is not fixed, as some are summoned and later released due to a lack of evidence, while others remain in custody for further questioning," they added.

Another source from Palestinian group Hamas also told Al-Araby al-Jadeed that it firmly rejects involvement in launching the rocket fire from Lebanon.

An unnamed official emphasised that "Hamas would not engage in any act that could undermine the efforts towards de-escalation, whether in relation to the resistance or the Lebanese state."

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was quoted by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that authorities "now have fingerprints, and efforts are underway to match them with the Lebanese state’s database".

He continued: "If they belong to Lebanese nationals, we can identify them, unlike in the case of foreign nationals. There are suspects currently in custody, and we are also seeking possible external assistance with the investigation, in case others may have information that could help."

The Israeli-Hezbollah conflict marked the deadliest spillover of the Gaza war, and a blistering Israeli offensive after months of cross-border exchanges of fire wiped out Hezbollah's top commanders, many of its fighters and much of its arsenal.

The truce in November halted the fighting and mandated that southern Lebanon be free of Hezbollah fighters and weapons, that Lebanese troops deploy to the area and that Israeli ground troops withdraw from the zone.

Each side accuses the other of not entirely living up to those terms.

Qatar sends aid to Lebanese army as the country recovers

Qatar is sending scores of military vehicles to the Lebanese army and a new, $60 million donation to help it pay salaries to officers as the small Mediterranean country recovers from the fighting in Hezbollah’s latest war with Israel, the two Arab countries announced Wednesday.

Gas-rich Qatar has been a main backer of the Lebanese army since an unprecedented economic crisis engulfed the country in late 2019. Qatar was first sending food aid for the military while cash donations began in 2022.

The statement by Qatar and Lebanon said 162 military vehicles would be sent to the Lebanese army to help the military “carry out its national duties to preserve stability and control the border."

It came after visiting Aoun met with Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The statement mentioned the necessity of implementing the U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for deploying more Lebanese troops along the border with Israel in the wake of the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters under the ceasefire.

The emir said Qatar “stands by Lebanon, its people and institutions.”

Aoun, who began a two-day visit to Qatar on Tuesday, condemned Israel’s military presence and refusal to withdraw from Lebanon, as well as almost daily airstrikes in the border area.

Israel military says struck Hezbollah infrastructure in south Lebanon

The Israeli military said Thursday it struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites in south Lebanon overnight, without specifying how.

"Overnight, the [Israeli military] struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon," the military said. "The [Israeli military] will operate against any attempts by Hezbollah to rebuild or establish a military presence under the guise of civilian cover."