Calm has returned to the Al-Shrawna neighborhood in Baalbek after the Lebanese Army's raids to arrest drug dealers and traffickers, primarily targeting "Abu Salla," Ali Zaaiter. The army has maintained its readiness to continue this operation, which seems set to persist regardless of the obstacles placed in its path or the arrows directed at the army and its commander.
The statement made by Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek, the Head of the Shura Council in Hezbollah, during his meeting with the Jaafar and Zaaiter clans, where he gave the army two hours to withdraw or else the party would intervene, did not go unnoticed. This comment left its mark on the Beqaa landscape and tribal scene, creating a rift that Hezbollah is trying to mend, especially after the outrage from the Shams clan over the martyr who fell at the hands of those wanted by Yazbek. The Shams clan has a significant history with the party through its fighters and officials, and gunfire was exchanged near the educational complex owned by Sheikh Yazbek, delivering a message laden with meaning.
While Yazbek's remarks and Hezbollah's position received public dissent, alongside skepticism from the Shams clan, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun's visit to Baalbek to offer condolences for the martyr Shams conveyed a message from the highest military authority. During his Beqaa tour, following Yazbek's remarks, Aoun clearly stated, "The army does not wait for any religious or political cover to combat drugs, and it will continue its fight against them."
In this context, monitoring sources indicated that Hezbollah has started the presidential election battle early by launching repeated attacks on the army commander, sometimes accusing Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah of taking orders from the American embassy and other times opposing the measures taken in Baalbek. This implies that the party has been sending messages to him whenever the opportunity arises. It was pointed out that the army commander operates under a clear agenda: combating drugs, arresting wanted individuals, and restoring security to Baalbek-Hermel, but some insist on steering matters in a completely different direction.
Regarding the military measures being taken by the Lebanese army in the Al-Shrawna neighborhood and the pursuit of Ali Munther Zaaiter, nicknamed "Abu Salla," the sources confirmed that the Lebanese army will continue its mission until the end, stating that the clock cannot be turned back. While "Abu Salla" managed to escape or was smuggled away via an armored vehicle that entered his yard before the siege, the army is still actively pursuing him, his gang members, and all drug traffickers. Raids will continue whenever needed or when there is suspicion of any location harboring wanted individuals, primarily "Abu Salla." The army has also arrested a Syrian who participated in the shooting against them during the first day of the raid and another Syrian involved in promoting and selling drugs for "Abu Salla."
On the ground, the Lebanese army continues to assert its control around the Al-Shrawna neighborhood, conducting patrols within it and on the international road. The Baalbek region has experienced unprecedented security, with calm prevailing, the cessation of gunfire, and safety spreading. The local populace has felt the results of the army's military campaign, hoping that it will continue and that the state will maintain security as the anticipated tourist season approaches.
