Report: Hariri informed of assassination plot by Western intelligence

Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces denies knowledge of plan to murder PM, who cited threats on his life in decision to resign

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was reportedly informed of a plot to assassinate him by Western intelligence agencies, leading him to flee the country and resign from his post.

Hours after announcing in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh on Saturday he would step down, the Saudi television station Al-Arabiya reported an assassination attempt on Hariri was thwarted just days before he resigned. Hariri cited threats on his life and Iran and its proxy Hezbollah’s vast influence in Lebanon in his decision to resign.

Citing sources close to Hariri, the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat reported Sunday the Lebanese premier was informed of the plot by Western intelligence. The report said due to the “serious” security threats against him, Hariri would not likely return to Lebanon.

The daily did not provide any further details on the alleged assassination attempt.

In the wake of the Al-Arabiya report, Lebanese media outlets on Sunday quoted Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces as saying it had no knowledge of the alleged plot.

Asharq al-Awsat reported Hariri was caught off guard by the assassination attempt, as he had been seeking a modus vivendi with Hezbollah.

Along with Iran and Syria, the Lebanese terror group was responsible for the 2005 assassination of Hariri’s father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, which the younger Hariri cited in his resignation speech.

In this Feb. 14, 2005, file photo, vehicles burn following a massive bomb attack that tore through the motorcade of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo, File)

The Saudi-owned daily also said Hariri believed he was being used as a cover by Iran and Hezbollah to “lead the country towards great adventures where he will be a pawn to cover up their actions.”

A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry denied the “unfounded accusations” made by Hariri on Saturday, saying the move was meant to stir up tensions in Lebanon and was pushed for by US President Donald Trump and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is set to address Hariri’s resignation in a speech on Sunday, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV reported.

Following Hariri’s decision to step down, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the resignation should be a “wake-up call” to the international community to the threat posed by Iran’s regional ambitions, which he said endanger not only Israel but the entire Middle East.