Lebanon denies Mossad capture rumors after holding two Palestinians

Lebanese officials rejected reports on Sunday that two Israeli intelligence officers had been caught in the country. The government described the circulating claims as fake news while addressing public concern over the detention of two Palestinian men.

The two detainees are from Ramallah. Security forces held them after discovering that their mobile numbers carried Israeli country codes. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the situation as a display of moral bankruptcy, according to a statement from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Salam's office stated that hostile parties spread the rumors to tarnish his reputation and mislead the public. Authorities confirmed that both men entered Lebanon legally and had visited the country previously.

Beirut Time reported that suspicions arose when the pair used Israeli numbers to book rooms at the Lancaster Eden Bay hotel in Beirut. An Uber driver and hotel staff alerted local authorities, prompting an investigation into the reservation.

A second rumor emerged the following day claiming that Salam had deported the men rather than holding them. The report sparked anger among anti-Israel voices within Lebanon.

Public anxiety over Mossad activity has intensified since September 2024. During that month, thousands of booby-trapped pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah confirmed that most of the victims were members of the Iran-backed group, though some civilians also sustained severe injuries.