Lebanese authorities arrested the suspected leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Lebanon, accusing him of orchestrating multiple planned attacks and overseeing efforts to destabilize the country, the Lebanese Army announced on Tuesday.

In a statement posted on social media, the Army Command confirmed that a Lebanese national, identified only by the initials “R.F.” and known by his nom de guerre “Qaswara,” had been detained by the Intelligence Directorate following what it described as a series of “security, surveillance, and monitoring operations.”

The military said Qaswara is considered ISIS’s most senior figure in Lebanon and described him as “one of the most prominent leaders of the terrorist organization Daesh,” using the Arabic acronym for ISIS.

According to the statement, Qaswara assumed leadership of ISIS's operations in Lebanon after his predecessor, another Lebanese national identified as “M.K.” and nicknamed “Abu Said al-Shami," was arrested along with several other senior operatives in December 2023.

During the arrest, security forces seized a stockpile of weapons, ammunition, and electronic equipment, including components used to manufacture drones, the army added.