Lebanon frees two men after Israeli phone codes sparked spy panic

Two men from Ramallah were detained in Beirut before being released, following a security alert triggered by their use of Israeli phone codes. The incident occurred on Sunday, prompting the Lebanese government to reject circulating rumors that Israeli intelligence officers had been captured.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the capture claims as "fake news" in a statement issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. His office accused hostile parties of trying to tarnish his reputation and mislead public opinion. Security forces questioned the two men and confirmed that both had entered Lebanon legally and had previously visited the country.

Beirut Time reported that the suspicion began at the Lancaster Eden Bay hotel. Staff and an Uber driver alerted authorities after the men used Israeli country codes to book their reservation. Reports claimed the two Palestinians were holding Turkish passports, which fueled speculation about a Mossad operation.

The following day, a separate rumor suggested Salam had deported the men rather than holding them. This claim drew anger from anti-Israel voices within Lebanon. The government moved to calm the public alarm by clarifying the men had been questioned and then cleared.

Concerns about Israeli intelligence activity in Lebanon have intensified since September 2024. That month, thousands of booby-trapped pagers exploded across Lebanon and Syria, killing and wounding thousands of Hezbollah members. The Iran-backed group acknowledged that most of the casualties were its own, though civilians also suffered life-altering injuries.

Salam’s office emphasized that the affair stemmed from a "moral bankruptcy" in how the story was handled by media. The statement served to formally deny the spy capture narrative and confirm the legal status of the two detainees.