Suhil Bahij Gharb, the head of military intelligence for southern Lebanon, has been accused of leaking classified information to Hezbollah during a ceasefire agreement with Israel, according to intelligence sources reported by The Times.
Gharb allegedly passed sensitive details from a security control room managed by the U.S., France, and U.N. peacekeepers tasked with overseeing the ceasefire.
The report claims that his placement in the control room was secured through senior Hezbollah commander Wafiq Saffa, who survived an Israeli assassination attempt in October 2024, and that other Lebanese military officers have similarly provided intelligence to Hezbollah.
According to an International Intelligence Report released by The Times; Suhil Bahij Gharb, the Head of Lebanese Military Intelligence in Southern Lebanon, as well as over a Dozen other Officers in the Lebanese Army, have been actively sharing Top-Secret Information about Israeli… pic.twitter.com/de5Qz7is1N
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 27, 2025
The November 27, 2024, ceasefire required Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River and dismantle military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. In return, Israeli ground forces were to pull out of Lebanese territory. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and UN peacekeepers would then take control of the area.
The intelligence document referenced by The Times states: “Hezbollah use[s] internal, sensitive information regarding the Lebanese army to hide its actions from the international entities in charge of regional security.” It further notes that the leaks raise concerns about the LAF’s ability to take control of southern Lebanon, “where Hezbollah has for years been the dominant political and military force.”
Meanwhile, Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend the deadline for Israeli troops to leave southern Lebanon until February 18, following the expiration of the 60-day deadline set in a ceasefire agreement. Israel requested additional time after the deadline passed on Sunday.
Israel said it needs more time because the Lebanese army has not yet deployed to all areas of southern Lebanon, as agreed upon, to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing its presence there.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army said that it cannot deploy until Israeli forces withdraw.
The White House on Sunday said “the arrangement between Lebanon and Israel, monitored by the United States, will remain in effect until February 18, 2025.” The statement also noted that the two governments “will begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023.”
