Lebanon releases two Palestinians after phone codes sparked spy rumors

Two Palestinian men were released in Lebanon on Sunday after security officials determined they entered the country legally. Their detention stemmed from a hotel reservation made with phone numbers that carried Israeli country codes. The release aims to settle public anxiety over claims that Israeli intelligence operatives had been caught in Beirut.

Both men are from Ramallah. An Uber driver and staff at the Lancaster Eden Bay hotel reportedly noticed the Israeli numbers on the booking and contacted authorities. The independent outlet Beirut Time initially reported that the two individuals were Mossad agents holding Turkish passports. That specific claim fueled the initial wave of speculation.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed the incident in a statement issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. He described the rumors as "fake news" and criticized the situation as a sign of "moral bankruptcy." His office stated that hostile parties attempted to tarnish his reputation and mislead the public. Security forces questioned the pair and confirmed their legal entry status and previous visits to Lebanon.

A separate rumor emerged the day after the detention, claiming Salam had deported the men rather than holding them for questioning. That version of events angered anti-Israel voices within Lebanon. The episode adds to a heightened sense of security concern that has persisted since the pager plot in September 2024.

During that earlier operation, thousands of booby-trapped pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria. The blasts killed and wounded thousands of Hezbollah members. Hezbollah acknowledged that most of the casualties were members of the group, though a number of civilians also suffered life-altering injuries.