Lebanese Army Arrests 4 Militants After Armed Display in Zqaq Al-Blat, Investigation Under Judiciary Supervision

The Lebanese army announced today, Wednesday, July 9, the arrest of four individuals in Beirut and the town of Ain Qana Al-Nabatieh, after intensive investigations revealed their participation in an armed display during a religious occasion in the Zqaq Al-Blat area on July 4, 2025.

A statement by the army said: "The arrests came after monitoring and pursuing the involved individuals, and it was found that the detainees were among the militants who participated in the incident," referring to the display organized by Hezbollah elements. The statement added that "the investigation with the detainees has begun under the supervision of the competent judiciary."

A circulated video of an armed display during an Ashura march in Zqaq Al-Blat sparked widespread reactions, showing masked groups carrying machine guns in the streets of the Hamra area and its surroundings, bringing back memories of the Lebanese civil war.

In turn, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the incident, affirming in a post on the "X" platform that "the armed displays witnessed in Beirut are unacceptable in any form or under any pretext." He added: "I contacted the ministers of interior and justice, and asked them to take all necessary measures to enforce the applicable laws, arrest the perpetrators, and refer them for investigation."

These developments come amid escalating internal demands, including from some of Hezbollah's allies, to hand over their weapons to the Lebanese army, considering that the monopoly of weapons by the state is the optimal solution to security crises in Lebanon.