From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Report: 400 Hezbollah operatives and their families have left Lebanon over safety concerns
Nurit Yohanan is The Times of Israel's Palestinian and Arab world correspondent
The Saudi Al-Hadath channel reports that 400 field commanders from Hezbollah recently left Lebanon along with their families and relocated to South American countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil, citing a source at the Argentine embassy in Lebanon.
This move is due to concerns about being monitored as part of the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure following the ceasefire agreement with Israel in November.
There is no official confirmation of the report from any official Lebanese source or Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has ties in South America with criminal organizations, particularly around drug trafficking, which constitutes part of the organization’s income.
