Lebanon dismisses spy capture rumors
Two Palestinians were detained after hotel staff reported Israeli phone codes, leading to a brief public uproar.
By Chloe Martin ·
Lebanese authorities rejected claims on Sunday that Israeli intelligence officers had been captured in the country.
Two men from Ramallah were held after security forces identified Israeli country codes on their mobile devices. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the rumors "fake news" and criticized the "moral bankruptcy" of those spreading them. His office stated that hostile groups tried to mislead the public and tarnish the prime minister's reputation. Officials confirmed the pair entered Lebanon legally and had visited the country previously.
Reports from the Beirut Time indicated that the alert began at the Lancaster Eden Bay hotel in Beirut. Staff and an Uber driver noticed the men using Israeli numbers to book a room and contacted authorities. The men were reportedly holding Turkish passports, which fueled speculation about their identities.
A second rumor emerged the following day, claiming that Salam had deported the men rather than detaining them. This version of events angered anti-Israel factions within Lebanon. The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened suspicion regarding Mossad operations in the region.
Tensions have risen since September 2024, when thousands of booby-trapped pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah stated that most casualties were members of the Iran-backed group, though civilians also sustained severe injuries. The current detention has not added to that toll but has renewed debate about security protocols in Beirut.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
