Clashes Between the Army and Wanted Individuals During a Raid on a Drug Manufacturing Facility

The Lebanese Army Command – Directorate of Orientation issued the following statement:

On 8/5/2026, two wanted individuals intercepted an army patrol using a jeep and opened fire on the soldiers while the patrol was heading to carry out a raid on a drug manufacturing facility in the Al Sharawneh neighborhood of Baalbek.

The soldiers responded to the sources of fire, and during the exchange of gunfire, a fire broke out in the jeep due to the presence of ammunition and flammable materials inside it. The troops managed to evacuate one of the wanted individuals (of Syrian nationality) and transfer him to the hospital for treatment, but they were unable to evacuate the other suspect because of the intensity of the flames. One soldier from the patrol and five civilians sustained minor injuries as a result of the incident.

The patrol continued its mission and raided the drug manufacturing facility, where it seized a number of machines and a large quantity of narcotic substances.

The seized items were handed over to the competent authorities, and efforts are ongoing to arrest those involved in operating the facility.