Lebanese authorities have issued an unprecedented and stern warning to Hamas, signaling a shift in how the country deals with armed Palestinian groups operating within its borders. The move follows Hamas’s refusal to hand over four suspects accused of launching rockets at Israel from southern Lebanon, including a senior commander who is believed to have masterminded the attack.

The warning was issued after a meeting of Lebanon’s Higher Defense Council on Friday, during which Hamas was explicitly named and cautioned against using Lebanese territory to carry out operations that threaten national security.

Acting swiftly on Saturday morning, General Security chief Hassan Chukeir summoned Hamas representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, for a meeting also attended by the head of army intelligence Tony Qahwaji. Abdel Hadi was officially notified of the Lebanese State's warning: Hamas must abide by the country’s laws and residency rules, and refrain from carrying out any military or security activity on Lebanese soil.

According to security sources cited by the news site Al-Modon, Abdel Hadi pledged Hamas’s full compliance with the Higher Defense Council’s directives and the decisions of the Lebanese government. He reportedly assured officials that the group would not engage in any actions that could undermine Lebanon’s internal or national stability and vowed to respect the country’s sovereignty. Abdel Hadi also committed to handing over the four wanted individuals within 48 hours.

Security sources told Al-Modon that military intelligence had already identified all those involved in the recent rocket launches. One of the suspects is a Palestinian cleric and high-ranking Hamas official who allegedly played a central role in planning and executing the operation.

Investigators believe the main suspect had been preparing the attack for weeks, meeting with other operatives in residential apartments to coordinate logistics. He is said to have personally overseen the launch and was preparing for a second rocket fire in the days that followed.

In a recent raid in the southern city of Sidon, army intelligence discovered a residential apartment used as a weapons cache. Authorities seized several rockets, launchers, and an assortment of rare arms. According to reports, the site was being readied for another attack.

Two members of the cell — a Lebanese and a Palestinian — were apprehended during the raid. According to Al-Modon, the suspects confessed to being affiliated with Hamas but claimed they acted independently, launching the rockets in support of the Palestinian cause without informing the group’s leadership. Despite these claims, the army approached senior Hamas figures, requesting their cooperation in handing over the remaining fugitives. However, the group initially declined to comply.

The fugitives are currently believed to be hiding in the Palestinian refugee camps of Rashidiyeh, Burj al-Shamali, and Ain al-Hilweh.