Two Lebanese soldiers killed in clashes with 'wanted fugitives' in Baalbek

Two Lebanese soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in clashes with fugitives during raids in eastern Lebanon, the national news agency has reported.

The army confirmed the deaths in a statement posted to X, identifying the soldiers as First Adjutant Bilal Al Baradei, 44, and Corporal Ali Haidar, 32.

The soldiers were killed on Tuesday in clashes with fugitives after the army conducted a raid on Al Sharawneh neighbourhood in Baalbek. The district is known for harbouring wanted people, flouting state authority and running much of Lebanon's illicit drugs and weapons trades.

A wanted person who had opened fire on the troops was killed in the clashes, said the army. It described him as “one of the most dangerous fugitives” and said he was wanted for crimes including “firing on army patrols, kidnapping, robbery, armed theft and drug trafficking”.

“A large quantity of drugs, weapons and military ammunition was seized during the raid operation,” said the army. It said efforts were under way to arrest remaining suspects.

The Lebanese army often raids Al Sharawneh to crack down on weapons and drug traffickers.

Earlier this year, Lebanese troops killed three of “the most prominent and dangerous drug dealers” in a car chase in the neighbourhood, the army said. During the chase, “a clash broke out”, resulting in the deaths, it said. The men were “wanted for the murder of soldiers, kidnappings, shooting at army posts and patrols, and armed robberies”, the statement added. Previous raids had failed to bring them to justice.

The Lebanese army is under growing pressure to disarm Hezbollah under a ceasefire agreement with Israel that came into effect last year. In August, the government made the army responsible for laying out a plan to bring all weapons, including Hezbollah’s, under state control. That task has proven to be challenging for the cash-strapped and under-resourced military.

Lebanon's Finance Minister Yassine Jaber told The National on Tuesday that the army “needs support” and has been “under a lot of pressure by all the [Israeli] bombings and attacks”.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun last week told a political adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron that “moral support” alone for the Lebanese army is not enough, saying the force needs “equipment and military vehicles” to carry out its duties.

Mr Aoun said Israeli attacks are the main obstacle preventing the Lebanese army from sending troops to the southern border. Under the truce terms, Israel is required to halt airspace violations while Hezbollah is expected to begin disarming in stages. But Israel has only intensified its attacks on Lebanon and warned of further escalation unless the militant group surrenders its weapons.

A visit to Washington by Lebanese military chief Rodolphe Haykal was cancelled on Tuesday after an army statement denounced Israeli “enemy” attacks on Lebanese territory. Israel has struck Lebanon on a near-daily basis since the ceasefire, with more than 100 civilians killed in the attacks, according to the UN.

Lebanese military and security sources said the US move was aimed at pressuring Lebanese authorities, amid growing frustration over the pace of Hezbollah’s disarmament.