A Lebanese investigation into an alleged cross-border sabotage network has uncovered for the first time details of how weapons and military equipment were smuggled into Syria and a map of security targets the group allegedly planned to monitor, according to information obtained by Al Modon from a security source.

Government Commissioner to the Military Court, Judge Claude Ghanem, has charged people in the case, which involves Lebanese and Syrian nationals as well as individuals linked to Hezbollah.

The security source said data from the investigation revealed a division of leadership and operational responsibilities among Lebanese and Syrian members of the network and Hezbollah cadres.

On the Lebanese side, the operational head of the network was a Lebanese national who was directly responsible for smuggling operations and transporting shipments, the source said.

The second Lebanese detainee was his brother, a State Security officer who had previously served as the security escort of former MP Gebran Bassil. Investigators determined that he had participated in smuggling weapons and people, according to the source.

On the morning the cell was uncovered, the officer allegedly moved quantities of grenades and explosive detonators from an orchard in Akkar and threw them into the Great River on the Lebanese-Syrian border in an attempt to mislead investigators, the source said.

Hezbollah figures identified

The investigation also identified two Hezbollah commanders, according to the source.

The first, Y. Alaaeddine, known as “Hajj Alaa,” was identified through technical analysis and the extraction of data from mobile phones. His full identity was established during the investigation, and he was subsequently listed among the prominent fugitives being pursued by the authorities.

The investigation also uncovered the name of another Hezbollah figure known as “Hajj Samer,” whom the source described as a second commander in the group. His full identity has not yet been established, and security agencies are continuing to examine data and documents to verify his official identity.

The Syrian side of the network consisted of six detained individuals, in addition to three operatives known only by security aliases, according to the source. Authorities are working to establish their real identities. They are known as “Abu Hussein,” “Abu Ali” and “Nouri.”

The case has been described in Lebanese reporting as involving a network allegedly linked to plans for attacks in Syria. Hezbollah has denied ties to the operation, according to AFP reporting.

Drones allegedly smuggled under cover of aid

The security investigation also uncovered what the source described as a specialized logistical method for moving military equipment from northern Lebanon into Syria and toward the Syrian coast.

The Lebanese detainee who allegedly oversaw the smuggling operations had devised a system in which drones, explosives and detonators were dismantled and concealed inside boxes containing in-kind and humanitarian aid, the source said.

The shipments were transported under the cover of providing “relief and aid to residents of the Syrian coast” and moved through unofficial border crossings to avoid detection, according to the source.

The alleged method allowed military equipment to be moved alongside what appeared to be humanitarian supplies, according to the investigation.

Alleged surveillance of Syrian security facilities

The network’s activities inside Syria went beyond training operatives and moving weapons, the security source said.

According to detainees’ statements and cross-referenced data gathered during the investigation, the group allegedly managed and directed several “sleeper cells” operating in different parts of Syria.

Their primary task was to conduct field and intelligence surveillance of Syrian General Security centers and agencies, as well as gather information on security movements and infrastructure, the source said.

The intelligence-gathering operations were allegedly intended to prepare for surprise attacks using smuggled drones and explosive devices.

Members of the network had reportedly been trained to assemble and detonate the explosive devices at a camp in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, according to the source.

The investigation therefore points to a network whose alleged activities combined recruitment and training in Lebanon, weapons and personnel transfers across the border, intelligence gathering inside Syria and preparations for attacks against security facilities.

Earlier reporting on the case has likewise said Lebanese authorities believe recruits were trained in drone operations and other military skills before being sent back to Syria.

Investigation continues

With the case now before the First Military Investigative Judge, Lebanese security agencies are continuing to track eight fugitives and intensifying efforts to establish the identities of individuals operating under aliases, according to the security source.

Investigators are also working to determine whether any remaining elements or logistical links of the network are still active.