Lebanese Prime Minister Denies Mossad Capture After Detention of Two Ramallah Men

Lebanese authorities confirmed on Sunday that two men from Ramallah have been released following a brief detention sparked by the discovery of Israeli phone numbers on their devices. The government moved to quell widespread speculation that the detainees were agents from the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, labeling the rumors as false information intended to create public alarm.

The incident began when hotel staff at the Lancaster Eden Bay in Beirut noticed the two Palestinians using Israeli country codes to book their reservation. An Uber driver and the hotel team alerted local security, prompting an immediate investigation into the men's presence in the country.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed the situation in a statement issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. He described the circulating claims as a product of "moral bankruptcy" and accused hostile parties of using the event to damage his reputation and mislead the public. Salam emphasized that the security forces had thoroughly questioned the pair before making their decision.

Security officials determined that both men entered Lebanon through legal channels and had visited the country previously. This finding contradicted early reports that they were Mossad operatives holding Turkish passports. The detention and subsequent release occurred after a separate rumor circulated that the men had been deported rather than held for questioning, a claim that drew criticism from anti-Israel groups within Lebanon.

Public sensitivity to Israeli intelligence operations in Lebanon has risen since the pager plot in September 2024. In that coordinated attack, thousands of booby-trapped pagers exploded across the country and Syria, resulting in significant casualties among Hezbollah members. While Hezbollah stated that most of the dead and injured were its own fighters, reports indicated that many civilians sustained life-altering injuries during the operation.

The government's rapid response aimed to stabilize public perception ahead of further developments. The release of the two men marks the conclusion of the immediate security inquiry, with the prime minister's office maintaining that the affair has been resolved through standard procedural checks.