October 22, 2026
This Thursday afternoon, the Lebanese government will hold a session at Baabda Palace, headed by President Joseph Aoun, to discuss the issue of the explosives truck seized in Dahr al-Baydar, amid anticipation of the decision it will take regarding the request of Minister of Justice Adel Nassar to refer the file to the Judicial Council. This case goes beyond its judicial dimensions to touch on one of the most sensitive political and security files in the country, especially after Representative Hassan Fadlallah explicitly announced that the shipment belongs to Hezbollah, demanding the return of the car and the cargo and the release of those arrested, considering the materials are intended to confront Israel.
The Ministry of Justice’s request on the agenda includes the Dahr al-Baidar shipment, in addition to the materials seized in the Qasr area in the Bekaa, and the connections revealed by the investigations. However, the referral path to the Judicial Council does not seem settled; Information indicates that President Joseph Aoun was initially inclined to wait for the investigations to be completed, but MP Fadlallah’s statements, which he considered a direct challenge to state authority, prompted him to welcome the immediate referral. On the other hand, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri adopted a position of waiting until the investigations were completed, amid consultations led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, amid a cautious atmosphere to avoid any additional tension.
Within the government, a trend is emerging that includes the Minister of Justice, supported by the ministers of the “Lebanese Forces” and “Phalange” parties, to adhere to the immediate referral given the seriousness of the file to the security of the state. This referral is legally subject to Articles 355 and 356 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which require a decree to be taken by the Council of Ministers for crimes affecting the security of the state, after which the file is referred to a judicial investigator and tried before the Judicial Council that has final rulings. On the other hand, the option of waiting does not mean closing the case, but rather continuing the investigations without making a final decision to decide on it immediately.
It is noteworthy that Information Minister Paul Morcos had clarified after the October 15 session that the issue had not been resolved because it was not included on the agenda at that time, and today it has become an official item. These developments coincide with Lebanese, Israeli and American military meetings in Tampa concerned with extending state authority and restricting weapons. In light of these data, the government faces three options: approve the referral, wait until the investigations are completed, or request the completion of the legal study, so that the government remains before a rigorous test of how the state deals with a file whose ownership Hezbollah has publicly acknowledged.
