In Other News · United States

Source: Axios

Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed Lebanon President Joseph Aoun not to return to Hezbollah a truck full of explosives it attempted to smuggle into Beirut several days ago, according to a State Department official and another source with knowledge of the call. Why it matters: The issue is a test case for the Lebanese government's resolve to stand up to Hezbollah and implement its policy of keeping weapons outside the control of state security forces. Driving the news: Lebanese security forces intercepted the truck last week at a checkpoint on the highway connecting the Bekaa Valley to Beirut. The truck was carrying approximately 780 kilograms of explosives, including TNT and C-4, Lebanese officials said. Two suspects were arrested for transporting the shipment. After the arrest, Hezbollah acknowledged that the explosives belonged to them but claimed they were intended for use against the Israeli military in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah's opponents in Lebanon seized on the incident as further proof of the danger of the Shia militia's weapons and its independent military activity. Hezbollah and its allies in Lebanon have since pressed the government to release its two members and return the explosives to the militia. Behind the scenes: The State...