A drone bearing a Hezbollah flag flies over Aramta, southern Lebanon, during a military parade held in May 2023 to commemorate the liberation of the South from Israeli occupation. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
Lebanese authorities have arrested a citizen suspected of having imported parts used to manufacture Hezbollah drones, a judicial source told AFP on Thursday.
Hezbollah has been using fiber optic drones, which are resistant to jamming, in their fight against Israel since early March.
The judicial source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the businessman was arrested at the request of France as part of an investigation.
The source said the man had admitted to importing electrical equipment and delivering it to someone who could be a Hezbollah member but denied knowing what the items were used for.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Israel responded with a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion.
Since Iran and the U.S. announced they had reached an agreement to end the war on Monday, there has been a sharp decrease in the level of violence in Lebanon.
But the Israeli military said on Thursday that it will continue operating in southern Lebanon and "remove threats" beyond its so-called security zone.
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