October 16, 2026
Washington entered directly into the crisis of the explosive shipment that was recently seized by the security services in Lebanon, as the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, informed the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, of a firm American position that absolutely refuses to return the shipment to Hezbollah, demanding comprehensive accountability for all those involved in financing it, issuing orders for its smuggling, and directing it.
In the details of the call that took place on Thursday, and were revealed by a US State Department official, Rubio stressed the need to pursue those responsible for the shipment, stressing that the idea of returning it to Hezbollah is “absolutely out of the question.” The American diplomatic move was not limited to this file, as Rubio put forward an additional demand requiring the establishment of direct military communication between the Lebanese and Israeli armies, in order to prevent friction and avoid any miscalculation that might lead to new confrontations.
These developments come in the wake of Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah’s admission that the explosives confiscated last week belonged to the party, indicating that they were intended for use against Israeli forces occupying areas of Lebanese territory that they controlled during the war taking place this year. According to what Reuters quoted a party official and a Lebanese security source as saying, the explosives seized inside a car were intended to equip explosive drones targeting Israeli forces.
For its part, the Lebanese Presidency reported that President Aoun assured his American counterpart during the call that the army and security services are effectively implementing decisions related to preventing armed demonstrations, confiscating weapons, and combating smuggling. On the other hand, Aoun called on the US Secretary of State to put pressure on Israel to stop its ongoing attacks on southern towns and villages.
These developments bring to the forefront the Lebanese government’s decision issued on March 2nd, to ban Hezbollah’s military activities against the backdrop of its launching of missiles towards Israel in support of Tehran, which plunged Lebanon into the widespread confrontation that broke out on February 28th. This comes in light of Hezbollah’s insistence on refusing to hand over its weapons as long as the Israeli occupation of Lebanese lands continues, and Israeli strikes continue in the south of the country.
With this communication, the explosives file is placed at the heart of American pressure on the Lebanese state, linking security accountability and the ban on returning weapons to the party, and the push towards direct military coordination with Israel, amid ongoing field and political complications surrounding disarmament and Israeli withdrawal.
