Lebanese security agencies are investigating a suspected Hezbollah-linked network following the arrest of five men in a remote mountainous area between the Bcharre and Batroun districts, after documents recovered from their vehicle reportedly revealed operational plans, deployment routes and requests for weapons targeting parts of northern Lebanon.

The arrests have raised concerns about possible organized security activity in predominantly Christian areas of the north, particularly after investigators learned that the suspects had allegedly been assigned tasks in Tripoli and Koura and were linked to a charitable association based in the village of Bnahran.

According to information obtained by Nidaa al-Watan, the five men were traveling in a Honda CR-V when they encountered an Internal Security Forces patrol in the highlands near Tannourine. They attempted to flee after spotting the officers and tore up documents they were carrying, hiding the fragments inside the vehicle's upholstery.

The patrol nevertheless managed to arrest them and recover the papers, which have become a central part of the investigation.

The suspects, identified by their initials as H.D., H.F., M.R., Q.A. and M.A., came from different parts of Lebanon, including Bint Jbeil, Tyre, Khiyam and the Bekaa Valley. One was from Zgharta al-Metawleh, a predominantly Shiite town in the Koura district.

None of the five was carrying a mobile phone when arrested. They were subsequently handed over to the Internal Security Forces' Information Branch, which is investigating their presence in the area, their movements and the contents of the recovered documents.

The papers reportedly contained references to a "Rashkida Plan" and a "Koura Plan," along with numbered routes and the deployment of groups identified as "Platoon 1," "Platoon 2" and "Platoon 3."

They also included names of individuals, photographs, requests for logistical support and weapons, including sniper rifles and other firearms. Other details reportedly outlined the division of responsibilities between two four-member teams, one assigned to Tripoli and the other to Koura.

Investigators are working to reassemble the torn documents to establish the full scope of the alleged plans, identify the people mentioned and determine the purpose of the proposed movements and deployments.

Apartment Raid Raises Questions Over Possible Network

The arrests were followed by developments in Bnahran, where the group had reportedly been staying.

Security sources told Nidaa al-Watan that Hezbollah-linked individuals moved into the village after learning of the arrests and entered the apartment from which the suspects had allegedly operated, seizing communication equipment.

Other individuals believed to have been responsible for coordinating the group's movements and maintaining direct contact with its members reportedly left the apartment in haste, taking communication devices, documents and maps with them.

Security agencies are now tracking those who left the premises to establish their identities, roles and possible links to the arrested men. Investigators are also examining whether the materials seized or removed from the apartment were connected to organized activity in northern Lebanon.

The sources said the identity of those who allegedly issued instructions to the group and the nature of the materials taken away remain unclear.

Meanwhile, sources monitoring the situation told Nidaa al-Watan that Hezbollah has been surveying mountain roads in northern Lebanon's remote highlands, seeking routes away from the scrutiny of security agencies that could serve as alternative channels for smuggling explosives and contraband.

Fears of Wider Security Operations in North

A security source following the investigation said mounting pressure on Hezbollah, particularly amid efforts to place all weapons under state control, could push the group to create confusion and destabilize the security situation.

The source said the latest arrests could take on greater significance if investigations establish links to other security incidents reported in Lebanon in recent months. Such connections, if confirmed, could point to coordinated efforts to undermine stability.

However, the source cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigations establish whether the incidents are actually connected.

The source also stressed the importance of preventive security operations, intelligence sharing and analysis, and closing intelligence gaps, noting that some suspicious activities are uncovered by chance while others remain undetected.

Information obtained by Nidaa al-Watan indicates that the suspected cell intercepted in the highlands between Tannourine and Bcharre had been under close surveillance. However, security agencies had not gathered sufficient evidence, partly because of the secrecy surrounding the suspects' movements.

The investigation has also drawn attention to a group reportedly known as the "Rashkida Group," named after a Shiite village near the Batroun coast. According to the information, the group enjoyed Hezbollah's backing and support from Christian allies within the March 8 political camp.

A former Christian minister from northern Lebanon was quoted as saying that a figure holding a leadership position in Rashkida had once taken him to weapons depots in the village, which allegedly contained a substantial arsenal.

Sources have not ruled out the possibility that the alleged plans could eventually have been intended to replicate the January 2007 "Black Tuesday" events, potentially on a more violent scale.

On Jan. 23, 2007, Hezbollah, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Marada Movement coordinated roadblocks in parts of Beirut and Batroun. Clashes subsequently broke out at Beirut Arab University and along the Batroun highway, leaving several people dead and more than 150 wounded.

According to the sources, the alleged objective of the Rashkida Group, given its proximity to the coast, was to take control of the coastal highway under certain circumstances, while the Koura Group could target the Cedars highway.

Reports of increased activity by Hezbollah-linked individuals in predominantly Christian areas of northern Lebanon have added to those concerns. Residents of several villages have reported seeing young men from Zgharta al-Metawleh organizing armed marches through wooded areas, extending as far as Bnahran in Koura.

Security Raids and Weapons Depots Under Scrutiny

The Information Branch subsequently carried out a series of raids in Bnahran, the nearby village of Behboush and other locations.

In Behboush, officers seized surveillance cameras to retrieve and examine their recordings as part of efforts to reconstruct the group's movements and identify individuals potentially involved.

The alleged weapons depots in Rashkida remain a particular concern. Although security agencies are reportedly aware of their existence, their current status and the extent of the weapons stored there remain unclear.

The reported presence of such arsenals has raised concerns about the potential danger to residents of the village and surrounding communities.

The Information Branch is pursuing the investigation by collecting and cross-checking evidence, examining the vehicle and the location where the suspects were intercepted, and analyzing the seized materials. Its inquiries have also expanded to identify other individuals who may have been connected to the group.

Rashkida's municipality, however, has denied any connection to the incident.

In a statement, the municipality of Rashkida in the Batroun district said neither the village nor its residents had any involvement in the reported events. It condemned what it described as the use of the village's name in media reports unsupported by accurate and verified information.

All Five Suspects Reportedly Belong to Charitable Association

A separate detail that has emerged from the investigation concerns the suspects' alleged membership in the Charitable Association for the Revitalization of the Five Villages, headquartered in Bnahran, in the Koura district.

According to information obtained by Annahar, all five arrested men belong to the association, which was established to provide social and development services to five predominantly Shiite villages in the Koura and Batroun districts.

The documents the men allegedly attempted to destroy contained two operational plans, one for Tripoli and the other for Koura, with tasks assigned to different teams, requests for weapons and logistical support, and information about groups and photographs, the newspaper reported.

If confirmed, the contents would suggest preparations for potential field operations rather than an ordinary intelligence-gathering exercise, raising questions about who was behind the plans and what they were intended to achieve.