Ex-Lebanon PM Hariri confirms earlier report on Bekaa explosion near convoy

Lebanese security forces are investigating an explosion 11 days ago that took place near the convoy of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the ex-premier’s office said on Sunday, confirming a report by Al Arabiya’s sister channel Al Hadath.

Hariri’s office said the incident, in which nobody was hurt, took place during a tour of the eastern Bekaa valley and was not made public at the time to prevent inflaming passions in an already politically charged atmosphere.

“Since the convoy did not get exposed to any attack ...(Hariri’s) decision was to keep it secret and await the results of the relevant security forces,” it said in a statement.

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Remnants of a missile were found almost 500 meters away from the route taken by Hariri’s 30-car convoy, which was equipped with jamming systems, Al Hadath channel said in a report on the incident on Sunday.

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Al Hadath information indicated that the security forces are looking into whether the missile was launched by a drone or was fired from a launch pad.

Hariri, Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, resigned last October in the face of mass protests against the sectarian ruling elite. The country has since then been in the throes of the worst economic and political crisis since its 1975-90 civil war.

Hariri’s father Rafik, also a former prime minister, was killed by a bomb in 2005.