A member of the fire brigade from the southern suburbs of Beirut at the scene of the Israeli attack targeting Hadath, on March 28, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Lebanon’s General Security agency announced Sunday the arrest of “several suspects” in connection with recent rocket fire toward Israel, which Israel claimed triggered its Friday strike on Beirut's southern suburbs. The agency did not disclose the identities or number of those arrested, stating only that investigations were ongoing.
“As part of efforts to monitor the security situation and maintain stability — particularly in light of recent events in southern Lebanon, including rocket fire of unknown origin on March 22 and 28 — the General Directorate of General Security has intensified its intelligence operations to identify those responsible,” the agency said in a statement. “Under the supervision of the competent judicial authority, several suspects have been arrested. Investigations are underway to determine responsibility and take the necessary legal measures.”
On Saturday, Lebanese Army commander Gen. Rodolph Haykal said troops had arrested several individuals suspected of involvement in the rocket fire from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel.
Rockets were launched from Lebanon toward Israel on March 22 and 28. No group has claimed responsibility, and Hezbollah has denied any involvement.
Local television station LBCI reported on Monday that three people suspected in the rocket firing case, two Lebanese and one Syrian, are currently held by the General Security. The station added that fingerprint tests and DNA are being conducted to confirm the suspicion.
LBCI reported that their suspicion was triggered by the suspects' presence at the place where the rockets were fired, especially the Syrian detainee, who was present there at 3 a.m., despite his place of residence not being near the launch site.
On Sunday, the Saudi news network Al Arabiya reported that the Lebanese Army arrested several Syrians and Palestinians suspected of firing rockets at Israel. Meanwhile, L'Orient Today's correspondent clarified the information reported by Al-Arabiya, saying that a number of Syrians and Palestinians, identified in the vicinity of the area where the missiles were launched towards Israel in southern Lebanon, had indeed been arrested and questioned, before being released.
Both the Lebanese Army and General Security were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
Four months after a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah ended open fighting that had begun on Oct. 8, 2023, Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs Friday, marking its first such attack there since the truce. After issuing multiple warning shots, Israeli warplanes struck a building in Hadath, which residents had been urged to evacuate an hour earlier.
Hezbollah denied involvement in the rocket fire, stating that it “respects the cease-fire agreement.” The group accused Israel of attempting “to create pretexts to continue its aggression against Lebanon.”
Despite the truce, Israel has regularly conducted near-daily strikes in eastern and southern Lebanon. After Israeli airstrikes on Friday, the number of border incidents has decreased as Muslims began celebrating Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, marking the end of Ramadan.
On Saturday, a French patrol with the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came under fire from an Israeli position near Rmeish, in the Bint Jbeil district. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, the Israeli army bombed prefabricated houses in Kfar Kila, in the Marjayoun district, without causing any casualties.
On Sunday afternoon, Israeli artillery fired seven phosphorus shells in the Wazzani area of the Hasbaya district and sprayed several areas on the outskirts of Kfar Shuba with machine-gun fire. An Israeli drone also dropped a grenade near a group of residents in the town of Houla.
Israeli drones were flying over the western sector of South Lebanon on Monday morning, according to our correspondent in the South, namely over the villages of Sammaaiyeh, Deir Qanoun al-Ain and Maalieh (all in the Sour district).
On Sunday night, after midnight, an Israeli drone flew at low altitudes over Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, Deir Kifa, Srifa (all in the Sour district) and Nabatieh.
Israel continues attacks on southern Lebanon, demolishes buildings in Bint Jbeil