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European authorities have dismantled a Hezbollah-linked smuggling network that trafficked drone components from Europe to Lebanon, potentially enabling attacks on Israel, according to a report by French daily Le Figaro.
The investigation, which began in mid-2024 in Catalonia, uncovered unusually large purchases of materials associated with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production. Officials estimate that the seized components could have been used to assemble hundreds—or even thousands—of drones capable of carrying several kilograms of explosives. Items intercepted included electronic guidance systems, propellers, gasoline and electric engines, and raw materials for drone bodies and wings.
Coordinated efforts between Spanish and German authorities led to the arrest of four suspects on July 14, 2024: two in Barcelona, one in nearby Badalona, and another in Salzgitter, Germany. The two Barcelona detainees were released under judicial restrictions, while the Badalona suspect, identified as 38-year-old Firas A.H., remains in custody. A Spanish court stated that he was part of a Lebanese cell operating in Spain and Germany with ties to Hezbollah, accused of acquiring materials that could be converted into weapons targeting civilian and military sites in Israel and Europe.
A Spanish judge emphasized that the smuggled components were intended for Lebanon, with no plans to attack European targets. Le Figaro reported that the group planned to ship a significant quantity of drone assembly materials by sea to Lebanon, posing a serious threat to regional security.
In Germany, authorities arrested Lebanese national Fadel Z., allegedly involved in procuring drone engines and other components for Hezbollah since at least 2016.
The investigation expanded further: on April 1, Spanish police arrested three more suspects in the same Barcelona apartment previously targeted. Two were released under restrictions; the third was jailed and charged with criminal organization membership, financing illicit activity, and trafficking in forged documents.
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On April 4, France’s domestic intelligence service arrested an unnamed suspect, charging him with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. Additionally, on March 3, the UK’s counterterrorism unit detained two men, aged 35 and 39, in north London on suspicion of Hezbollah membership; one also faces allegations of planning and financing terrorist operations. Both were released on bail pending a trial scheduled for July.
Authorities believe that some of the explosive-laden drones assembled from the smuggled parts were launched toward Israel.