Lebanon's PM Slams Fake News After Two Men Held Over Israeli Phone Codes

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam rejected reports on Sunday that Israeli intelligence officers were detained in Beirut. The government labeled the circulating rumors fake news and moved to reassure the public after security forces held two Palestinian men.

The detainees are both from Ramallah. Authorities seized them after discovering their phone numbers used Israeli country codes. A statement from the Council of Ministers accused hostile groups of using the incident to tarnish Salam's reputation and mislead the public. Officials confirmed the men entered Lebanon legally and had visited the country previously.

The investigation began after an Uber driver and hotel staff reported the two men to authorities. The pair had booked a room at the Lancaster Eden Bay hotel in Beirut using the Israeli numbers. Initial reports suggested the men held Turkish passports, fueling speculation that they were Mossad operatives.

Confusion followed the initial detention. A second rumor claimed Salam ordered the men deported rather than holding them for questioning. The story angered anti-Israel factions in Lebanon, adding pressure on the government to clarify the situation.

National security concerns in Lebanon have intensified since September 2024. In that episode, thousands of booby-trapped pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria. The blasts killed and wounded thousands of Hezbollah members, with the group acknowledging that most victims were its own. Civilians also sustained severe injuries during the operation.