The Lebanese government says it foiled an Israeli plot to carry out assassinations and bombing attacks in the country, as Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
The Lebanese General Security Directorate, a national intelligence agency, said on Friday that it dismantled “a network working for the Israeli enemy that was preparing terrorist attacks, bombings and assassinations” inside the country.
The statement appears to confirm earlier reports by several Lebanese media outlets that a group of Israel collaborators were working to place bombs inside cars and motorcycles at a commemoration ceremony for slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The reports said the foiled attacks aimed to cause as many casualties as possible.
The General Security Directorate said it arrested several people as part of the operation, including a Lebanese-Brazilian suspect and a Palestinian national.
“As a result of the investigation, one of the detainees admitted that this network was responsible for previous assassinations of party officials in al-Jamaa al-Islamiya,” it said.
Over the past two years, Israel has killed several officials from al-Jamaa al-Islamiya – a Lebanese group allied with Hamas.
Thwarting the alleged Israeli plot represents a rare counterintelligence success for Lebanon after Israel was able to penetrate Hezbollah, and identify, locate and kill many of its top political and military leaders, including Nasrallah, last year.
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