The Lebanese army announced it killed three of the country’s most wanted drug traffickers during a security operation in Baalbek’s Sharawneh neighborhood on Wednesday.

In a statement, the army said it was pursuing a vehicle carrying three wanted men, identified by their initials as A.M.Z., known as Abu Salleh; A.A.Z., known as Sultan; and F.Z., in the Sharawneh neighborhood of Baalbek when an exchange of gunfire erupted, resulting in the deaths of all three.

Troops reportedly used drone strikes during the operation. The army said no casualties were reported among its personnel.

Preliminary information indicates that the Lebanese army carried out exceptional drone strikes in the Sharawneh neighborhood of Baalbek, reportedly targeting “Abu Sallah,” a well-known drug trafficker wanted by the state for years. pic.twitter.com/aXRaqTQuzj

— Beirut Wire (@beirutwire) August 6, 2025

According to the army, the three men were responsible for widespread drug trafficking and had long histories of violent crime, including attacks on army posts, kidnappings, and armed robbery.

Abu Salleh, sentenced to death in absentia in 2024, had become infamous for evading arrest and distributing drugs from balconies in the Zeaiter neighborhood of Fanar before relocating to Baalbek.

He was also linked to the 2023 kidnapping of a Saudi citizen in Beirut and had over 100 arrest warrants, according to officials.

The army said prior attempts to arrest the men had resulted in injuries among its ranks. 

The operation is part of a broader campaign launched earlier this year to crack down on trafficking networks operating along the Lebanese-Syrian border and in Baalbek-Hermel. Last month, troops dismantled a major Captagon production facility in nearby Yammouneh.