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“Hamas and other factions will not be allowed to endanger
national stability,” the council said. “The safety of Lebanon’s
territories is above all.”
“The harshest measures will be taken to put a complete end to
any act that infringes on Lebanon’s sovereignty,” according to a
statement that was read by Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Mustafa.
Hamas officials did not immediately respond to requests by The
Associated Press for comment.
Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, the
Palestinian militant group has carried out several attacks
against Israel from Lebanon, where it has an armed presence.
Israel has since carried out airstrikes that killed Hamas
officials including one of its top military chiefs, Saleh Arouri,
in Beirut.
Lebanese authorities are seeking to establish their authority
throughout the country, mainly in the south near the border with
Israel after the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war that ended in
late November with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Authorities last month detained several people, including a
number of Palestinians, who were allegedly involved in firing
rockets toward Israel in two separate attacks in late March that
triggered intense Israeli airstrikes on parts of Lebanon.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah group denied at the time that it was behind
the firing of rockets.
The meeting of the Higher Defense Council was attended by senior
officials including the country’s president, prime minister,
army commander and heads of security services.
The council’s statement quoted Prime Minister Nawaf Salam as
saying that all “illegal weapons” should be handed over to the
state.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Lebanon
later this month.
Despite the ceasefire deal with Israel in November, Israel is
continuing with near-daily airstrikes on Lebanon that have left
dozens of civilians and Hezbollah members dead.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that an
Israeli drone fired three missiles Friday morning at a gas
station in the southern village of Houla, wounding five people.
On Thursday, Israel said it killed an official with Hezbollah's
elite Radwan Force in a drone strike in south Lebanon.
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