The Lebanese Army said on Saturday that it prevented the vessel Hawk III, carrying fuel oil intended for Electricité du Liban (EDL), from illegally leaving Lebanese territorial waters and detained 22 people on board. Three soldiers were injured during the operation, the army added.

According to the military's statement, the joint maritime operations center received information about the vessel and, under instructions from the competent judicial authority, a naval patrol launched a pursuit late Friday night as Hawk III attempted to depart illegally. When the crew refused to comply with orders, army personnel fired warning shots into the air.

A maritime commando unit, supported by the air force, then carried out a boarding operation roughly 30 nautical miles (55 km) off the Lebanese coast, detaining all 22 people on board and escorting the ship back to the port of Dbayeh. Three soldiers sustained injuries after the ship’s captain attempted evasive maneuvers to prevent the boarding. Investigations into the detainees are ongoing, and further measures concerning the vessel will be taken under judicial supervision, the statement said.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of the ship’s cargo, which Energy Minister Joe Saddi confirmed last week had passed three independent tests in Dubai, Greece, and Italy, confirming the B-grade fuel oil met the specifications required for EDL. The tests were carried out to ensure the fuel could be unloaded safely and avoid potential power shortages in Lebanon before September 8.

Saddi noted that the vessel had been seized by Lebanese customs at the direction of the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation. He told local channel MTV that the ministry had referred the matter to the prosecutor on Aug. 25 to investigate both the origin and quality of the fuel, highlighting concerns over the cargo’s Russian origin, which is subject to international sanctions.

The Ministry of Energy said the supplying company, Sahara Energy DMCC, had received crude oil shipments from Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) under a swap contract with Lebanon. Following suspicions of adulterated fuel and falsified documentation, the ministry requested a third independent test in Italy, which confirmed the cargo complied with required standards. Customs later verified that no legal impediment prevented the fuel from being unloaded.

Saddi emphasized that Lebanon has no ban on oil imports from Russia, provided the “Price Cap” mechanisms imposed internationally are respected. The ministry added that maritime tankers carrying Russian certificates of origin have continued arriving in Lebanon over the past two years.