Hamas hands over second suspect in firing rockets towards Israel

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Army stated on Monday that Hamas handed over a second suspect to the army, allegedly involved in the two rocket-firing operations towards Israel on March 22 and 28, 2025.

"Further to the previous statement regarding the Intelligence Directorate's receipt from Hamas of a Palestinian suspected of involvement in two operations of firing rockets towards the occupied Palestinian territories on 22 and 28/3/2025, and in continuation of the pursuit of the rest of those involved in these two operations, based on the recommendation of the Supreme Defense Council and the decision of the Lebanese government, the Intelligence Directorate received from Hamas the Palestinian (Y.B.)", the army said in a statement on X.

"The investigation of the detainee began under the supervision of the competent judiciary", the army added.

On Sunday, the army announced that it arrested a suspect, allegedly affiliated with Hamas, at the entrance to the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, in Saida.

The unclaimed rocket-firing operations had triggered severe and deadly responses from the Israeli army in Lebanon.

The announcements were made by the troops as the government had issued a historic warning to the Hamas movement on Friday, against "using Lebanese territory to conduct any action that harms Lebanese national security."

An ally of Hezbollah, which opened a front against Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, Hamas had claimed several attacks against the Hebrew state during the war.

On April 16, the Lebanese Army announced they had arrested members of a "group composed of Lebanese and Palestinians" suspected of being behind the firings. Three of these suspects were members of Hamas, according to a security source. On April 20, the troops announced they had foiled a new shell firing from southern Lebanon towards Israel and arrested several suspects in the Saida region.