Lebanon's Rai Calls For Raids on Illegal Weapons Depots

Patriarch Rai during Sunday Mass service in Diman (NNA)
Patriarch Rai during Sunday Mass service in Diman (NNA)
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Lebanon's Rai Calls For Raids on Illegal Weapons Depots

Patriarch Rai during Sunday Mass service in Diman (NNA)
Patriarch Rai during Sunday Mass service in Diman (NNA)

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai escalated Sunday the intensity of his statements against Hezbollah’s arms, without directly naming the party as he called for “carrying out raids on all weapons and explosives caches and warehouses spread illegally between residential neighborhoods in cities, towns, and villages.”

The Patriarch pointed out that citizens' lives do not belong to any person, faction, party, or organization.

His statements, during Sunday Mass service at the patriarchal summer retreat of Diman, came amid growing distancing between Bkirki and the Shiite party, in the absence of any public contacts between the two sides, at least since Rai called for Lebanon’s neutrality last month.

Hezbollah is considered one of the main parties to possess large military capacities used in its conflict with Israel.

However, those arms remained a contentious issue.

Since 2006, core political actors held several dialogue tables to reach a consensus on a National Defense Strategy to face Israeli aggressions. However, no results were reached in this regard as talks over the party’s full monopoly on the possession of arms led to political tension between Hezbollah and some Lebanese political parties, which call for restricting weapons in the hands of the Lebanese Army.

For the first time since he was appointed Patriarch in 2011, Rai tackled on Sunday the file of raiding arms depots.

“Some Lebanese areas have been transformed into fields of explosives [and] we do not know when they will explode or who will detonate them,” Rai said.

Amid Hezbollah’s silence about Rai’s calls, Maronite sources close to the matter denied that Bkirki plans to break its relations with the Party.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Rai does not break relations with anyone. The Patriarch is interested in reaching all Lebanese constituencies within the constants of respect for sovereignty and independence.”

Although the sources did not deny the presence of disagreements on the weapons of Hezbollah, they said: “We reached a delicate phase that affects the fate of Lebanon.”

The same sources explained that the arms file is a contentious issue that overpasses the Lebanese makeup.

“In light of regional developments and the change of international balances, the Patriarch cares to remove all pretensions around the arms file and to safeguard neutrality,” the sources said.



Lebanon State Media Says Israel Blows Up Houses on Border

This handout satellite picture provided by Planet Labs PBC and dated October 24, 2024 shows a view of the village of the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on the border with Israel, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Planet Labs PBC / AFP)
This handout satellite picture provided by Planet Labs PBC and dated October 24, 2024 shows a view of the village of the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on the border with Israel, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Planet Labs PBC / AFP)
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Lebanon State Media Says Israel Blows Up Houses on Border

This handout satellite picture provided by Planet Labs PBC and dated October 24, 2024 shows a view of the village of the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on the border with Israel, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Planet Labs PBC / AFP)
This handout satellite picture provided by Planet Labs PBC and dated October 24, 2024 shows a view of the village of the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on the border with Israel, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Planet Labs PBC / AFP)

Lebanese state media said the Israeli army on Friday detonated explosives planted inside houses in three border villages that have been battered by the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Hezbollah says it is engaged in fighting Israeli forces in the area, more than a month into an Israeli ground invasion aimed at pushing the Iran-backed group away from the border.

"Since this morning, the Israeli enemy's army has been carrying out bombing operations inside the villages of Yaroun, Aitaroun and Maroun al-Ras in the Bint Jbeil area, with the aim of destroying residential homes there," the official National News Agency said.

Israeli forces also conducted a raid in the nearby town of Bint Jbeil, NNA said, after Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli troops in the flashpoint border region, AFP reported.

Hezbollah said on Thursday it had "ambushed" Israeli ground forces attempting to infiltrate Yaroun.

The group has claimed eight operations since Wednesday targeting Israeli troops on the outskirts of Maroun al-Ras.

Friday's explosions are the latest in a string of similar incidents that have impacted the border area.

According to NNA, Israeli troops blew up buildings in at least seven border villages last month.

Footage verified by AFP on Monday showed massive blasts that ripped through Mais al-Jabal and reduced homes to rubble.

Israel's Channel 12 last month broadcast footage appearing to show one of its presenters blow up a building while embedded with soldiers in the village of Aita al-Shaab.