Media: European authorities bust Hezbollah-linked drone smuggling network

European authorities have dismantled a Hezbollah-linked smuggling network involved in trafficking drone components from Europe to Lebanon, potentially enabling attacks on both Israel and European targets.

The investigation, which started in mid-2024 in Catalonia, Spain, uncovered large-scale purchases of materials associated with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production, leading to the arrests of multiple suspects in Spain and Germany, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The smuggled materials, according to reports, could have been used to assemble hundreds—or even thousands—of drones capable of carrying several kilograms of explosives. Items seized included electronic guidance systems, propellers, gasoline and electric engines, as well as raw materials for drone bodies and wings.

Spanish and German authorities coordinated their efforts to arrest four individuals on July 14, 2024. Two of the suspects were apprehended in Barcelona, one in nearby Badalona, and another in Salzgitter, Germany. While the two suspects from Barcelona were released under judicial restrictions, the Badalona suspect, identified as 38-year-old Firas A.H., remains in custody. A Spanish court revealed that Firas A.H. was part of a Lebanese cell operating in Spain and Germany and had ties to Hezbollah. He is accused of acquiring materials that could be converted into weapons intended for civilian and military sites in Israel and Europe.

A Spanish judge clarified that the smuggled components were directed to Lebanon, with no immediate plans to attack European targets. According to Le Figaro, the group had planned to ship a significant quantity of drone assembly materials to Lebanon by sea, presenting a serious security threat to the region.

In Germany, authorities arrested Lebanese national Fadel Z., who is suspected of procuring drone engines and other components for Hezbollah since at least 2016.

The investigation later expanded, resulting in the April 1 arrest of three more suspects in Barcelona, in the same apartment complex that had been previously targeted. Two of the individuals were released under judicial restrictions, while the third was jailed on charges of being a member of a criminal organization, financing illicit activity, and trafficking forged documents.

On April 4, France's domestic intelligence service arrested an unnamed individual, charging him with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. Additionally, in the UK, counterterrorism units detained two men, aged 35 and 39, in north London on March 3, on suspicion of Hezbollah membership. One of them faces further allegations of planning and financing terrorist operations. Both suspects were later released on bail, pending a trial scheduled for July.

Authorities have expressed concern that some of the explosive-laden drones assembled from the smuggled materials may have been launched toward Israel, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by Hezbollah's covert operations in Europe.

By Vafa Guliyeva