Hezbollah has ordered the shutdown of surveillance cameras in several neighborhoods of Beirut, transforming parts of the capital into tightly controlled security zones and prompting warnings from security officials and residents about potential repercussions for public safety.

According to reports, the militia group instructed owners of commercial establishments, schools and residential building committees in neighborhoods including Basta al-Fawqa, Basta al-Tahta and the Nweiri, along with surrounding streets extending to Khandaq al-Ghamiq and Bashoura, to completely turn off their surveillance cameras. The directive also included disconnecting the cameras from the internet and cutting electricity to them so that they stop operating entirely.

Hezbollah has not publicly explained the reasons behind the request. However, security officials say the measure could undermine efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat crime.

A senior security source told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that disabling cameras would create a significant security problem, noting that around 90 percent of crimes are solved through reviewing surveillance footage and tracking suspects from one street to another.

“We are in dire need of cameras, especially at this stage when the security situation has become difficult due to the high number of displaced people and disputes occurring in streets and neighborhoods,” the source said. “Sometimes these disputes involve military-grade weapons, and crime rates are likely to rise. Disabling the cameras will inevitably lead to the spread of crime.”

Residents and business owners have also voiced concerns, particularly as Israel has recently targeted Hezbollah commanders inside residential neighborhoods.

Marwan Salam, head of the Beirut Manarti Association and a lawyer, said he received complaints from Beirut residents stating that Hezbollah-affiliated security personnel had asked some shop owners and building managers to remove their surveillance cameras or switch them off and disconnect them from the internet.

Salam said many residents fear the move would allow Hezbollah officials and fighters to move more freely in these areas while increasing the risk that Israeli airstrikes could target locations in densely populated neighborhoods.

He added that the decision has sparked particular concern among owners of jewelry stores, money changers and supermarkets, who worry that criminal gangs could exploit the absence of surveillance cameras to carry out robberies and burglaries.

Similar concerns have been raised by residential building committees, which rely on camera systems to monitor who enters and exits their buildings and to identify unfamiliar individuals moving in. Residents fear that unknown occupants could increase the likelihood of their buildings being targeted.

Salam said the concerns of residents had been conveyed to Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, who indicated that the issue is being closely monitored.

According to Salam, the minister is coordinating with the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces and the intelligence directorate of the Lebanese Army. Authorities have been asked to launch an immediate investigation to clarify what is happening and determine responsibility.

Experts say the move may also be linked to technological vulnerabilities in surveillance equipment commonly used in Lebanon.

Amir Al-Tabash, an information and communications technology expert, said many surveillance devices available on the Lebanese market can be hacked, including cameras and their network video recorders (NVR).

“These cameras do not simply record images,” he said. “They also contain lenses capable of capturing detailed visuals, and many include microphones that can record sound.”

If a hostile actor such as Israel were able to infiltrate these devices, he said, they could potentially transmit live audio and video from the streets or buildings covered by the cameras, effectively turning them into monitoring tools.

Al-Tabash said such capabilities could allow adversaries to verify intelligence on the ground. For example, if a particular convoy passing through an area could be a potential target, its presence might be confirmed through multiple surveillance methods.

He added that even the presence of individuals in the vicinity — whether Hezbollah members or civilians carrying smartphones — could help confirm the identity of a potential target.

When facial recognition is not possible because a person’s face is concealed, other identification techniques may still be used, Al-Tabash said. These can include voiceprint analysis if a camera captures someone speaking, as well as monitoring body movement, physical build and other technical indicators to help verify a target’s identity.

Surveillance cameras can also provide live video feeds that allow individuals’ movements to be tracked in real time, particularly when combined with drones flying overhead.

“Drones can conduct aerial monitoring, while street cameras allow for more precise surveillance inside streets and narrow neighborhoods,” Al-Tabash said.

The measures have drawn comparisons with the events of May 7, 2008, when clashes erupted after the Lebanese government attempted to dismantle Hezbollah’s private telecommunications network. The government had also planned to install surveillance cameras across Beirut with relatively advanced monitoring capabilities at the time.

Al-Tabash said Hezbollah viewed those steps as an attempt to monitor its movements, a dispute that ultimately contributed to the armed takeover of parts of Beirut by the group.

He also recalled that during the first week of the latest war in 2024, Hezbollah’s former secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah urged people to switch off their smartphones, warning that such devices could be exploited by the enemy for surveillance and tracking. At the time, Nasrallah also cautioned against filming and the use of cameras.