Lebanon Rejects Mossad Capture Claims After Detention of Two Ramallah Men

Lebanese officials dismissed reports on Sunday that two Mossad operatives were captured in Beirut, labeling the story fake news. The government moved to clarify the status of two Palestinian men who were detained after their mobile numbers displayed Israeli country codes.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized the narrative surrounding the incident, calling it a sign of moral bankruptcy in a statement from the Council of Ministers. His office said hostile groups spread the rumors to tarnish his reputation and confuse the public. Security forces questioned the pair and confirmed both men had entered Lebanon legally and had visited the country previously.

Beirut Time reported that the initial suspicion arose when the two men from Ramallah used Israeli phone numbers to reserve a room at the Lancaster Eden Bay hotel. An Uber driver and hotel staff alerted authorities, prompting an investigation into whether the men were holding Turkish passports while operating for Israeli intelligence.

A secondary rumor emerged the next day, claiming Salam had deported the men rather than detaining them. This assertion fueled anger among anti-Israel factions in Lebanon. The episode highlights heightened sensitivity to Israeli intelligence operations, a concern that has grown since the pager plot in September 2024.

In that earlier operation, booby-trapped pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah stated that most of the thousands killed or injured were members of its ranks, though civilians also reported suffering severe injuries.