Hezbollah has constructed a large residential complex in the Hermel region of eastern Lebanon, accommodating hundreds of families and prompting concerns about the creation of a quasi-autonomous security zone, Lebanese political and security sources told Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath.

The “Imam Ali Housing Complex for Martyrs’ Families” comprises 228 reinforced concrete units and houses more than 40,000 residents, or roughly 210 families, the majority of whom are Syrian refugees.

The project was recently highlighted by Lebanese Forces MP Ghada Ayoub, who submitted a parliamentary question to the government, warning that the complex was built without formal approval or oversight from State authorities. Ayoub described it as “a security reality outside the effective control of the State” and cautioned that it could set a precedent for unmonitored armed influence in the area. She noted that the compound is enclosed by a wall and has a single entrance monitored by personnel affiliated with Hezbollah. Government sources told Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath that Ayoub’s question has not yet been formally received, likely due to recent public holidays. Under Lebanese law, the government must respond within 15 days of submission, after which the parliamentarian may escalate the issue into a formal inquiry if unsatisfied.

Media reports and field assessments indicate that the construction was financed and supported by Iran, citing statements from Hussein Al-Nemr, Hezbollah’s Bekaa region official.

Authorities responsible for construction permits reportedly received no applications for the complex, effectively making it a de facto project implemented under the pretext of housing displaced Syrian families.

Security officials said the camp, like other refugee settlements in Lebanon, is located roughly 10–20 kilometers from the Lebanese-Syrian border. Officials from the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Social Affairs recently visited the site to assess the conditions of the displaced residents, with humanitarian aid scheduled to be provided shortly.

The security sources rejected claims that the camp imposes a separate security reality, saying, “Whenever we receive reports of suspicious activity, we monitor the camp as we do with all other settlements.”

Hezbollah-affiliated sources confirmed that the camp is similar to other refugee settlements in Lebanon and that state authorities can access it freely. They also noted that some Lebanese families from border villages, displaced alongside Syrian refugees, reside in the complex.

Ali Sabri Hamadeh, head of the Qarar Movement in Baalbek-Hermel, said the complex has existed for more than a year. Built from reinforced concrete and surrounded by a roughly two-meter-high wall, it is located in the Wata al-Qamou area on land owned by the Hermel municipality. The development includes approximately 220 residential units and several commercial spaces.

Hamadeh said Hezbollah constructed the complex to house displaced Syrian Shiite and Alawite families following the fall of the previous Syrian regime. He warned that the compound “could create a security reality at the entrances to the Hermel region, particularly given the state’s absence in overseeing the project.”