Lebanon seizes $2.5M destined for Hezbollah after stopping man at airport in ‘unprecedented’ bust

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Lebanese Army continues deployment in southern Lebanon

Following the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) continues its deployment in several locations in southern Lebanon after Israel’s gradual withdrawal. (Video: EFE via Reuters Connect.)

A man allegedly carrying $2.5 million in cash destined for the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah reportedly was detained Friday at Beirut’s airport in a bust that an expert told Fox News Digital is “unprecedented.” 

“The detainee and the seized funds will be handed over to the investigation division at the General Directorate of General Security,” Lebanon’s finance ministry said in a statement obtained by Reuters, which cited sources saying that the man had been traveling from Turkey.  

“The $2.5 million dollar seizure is unprecedented,” David Daoud, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. 

“We haven’t seen anything like this. Now, this does track though the fact this money is coming in from Turkey, this does track with Israeli claims that Turkey is being used as a conduit by the Iranians to get more funds to Hezbollah,” Daoud continued. 

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Hezbollah members salute and raise the group’s yellow flags during the funeral of fallen fighters who were killed in an Israeli strike on their vehicles, in Shehabiya in south Lebanon in April 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

“Plausibly, this is one thing that got caught – how many cash transfers are getting through the dragnet?” he also said.  

The money the individual was carrying was bound for Hezbollah, which has been weakened recently by Israel’s military, sources told Reuters. 

“While Hezbollah’s military capabilities were significantly reduced during the war, they are now attempting to regain strength and rearm with the assistance of Iran,” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon was quoted by Reuters as telling the U.N. Security Council last month. 

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A Middle East Airlines plane takes off from Beirut’s international airport as people inspect damage from an area on the southern outskirts of Beirut that was targeted by Israeli airstrikes on Nov. 7, 2024. Sources told the Times of Israel on Friday that the man carrying the cash for Hezbollah was stopped at the airport. (AFP via Getty Images)

There was no immediate reaction from Hezbollah on Friday. 

Since the onset of Israel’s war against Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah – including ground operations on Lebanese soil – until a ceasefire deal was struck late last year. 

Mourners attend the funeral of slain Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium on the outskirts of Beirut on Feb. 23, 2025.  (Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images)

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Former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in Lebanon by an Israeli airstrike in September. 

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.