Lebanon explosives seizure raises assassination fears

The seizure of a truck carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives, including highly potent C-4, in Dahr al-Baidar has renewed concerns regarding political assassinations and weapons held outside state authority in Lebanon. The incident has raised questions about the entities possessing such materials and their intended destination in Beirut, occurring amidst increasing military, political, and financial pressures on Hezbollah.

Historical forensic evidence from United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission reports highlights the use of advanced explosives in past Lebanese assassinations. For instance, the 2004 attempt on Marwan Hamadeh involved approximately 6 kilograms of RDX, while the 2005 assassination of Gebran Tueni utilized 35 kilograms of TNT. Furthermore, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon concluded in 2020 that the assassination of Rafic Hariri was carried out using RDX with an explosive force equivalent to between 2,500 and 3,000 kilograms of TNT.