Lebanon Faces a Test Over Weapons, Smuggling and Israeli Escalation

Sky News Arabia's "Radar" programme discussed the weapons shipment seized at Dahr al-Baidar and the controversy it has stirred over the monopoly on arms and the limits of Hezbollah's activity. Political researcher George Al-Aqouri described the issue as pivotal, saying it puts the government before its responsibilities to implement decisions restricting arms to the state and preventing Hezbollah's military actions, warning against repeating the 2023 Kahale arms truck scenario and that the shipment could expose Lebanon to further Israeli strikes. Political researcher Tarek Al-Aboud, meanwhile, defended the account that the explosives are intended for resistance against the Israeli occupation, noting that the equations have changed and that the state's decision since March 2 deems Hezbollah's weapons illegal; he called for working to remove Israeli forces through the framework agreement and criticised the authorities' performance towards southerners.