March Missiles… Hamas Breaks the Heavy Silence with Weak Justifications

9th May 2025

3 minutes read

March Missiles… Hamas Breaks the Heavy Silence with Weak Justifications

After nearly two months of “heavy silence,” Hamas declared that the rocket launches from southern Lebanon last March were “individual acts.”

This “late admission” is seen by observers as an attempt by Hamas to evade responsibility—especially after these operations nearly reignited war between Lebanon and Israel, potentially turning southern Lebanon into a new battleground for settling scores.

What did Hamas say?

On Thursday, Hamas stated that the two rocket launches from Lebanon toward Israel last March—operations that Lebanese authorities suspect involved members of the Palestinian movement—were “individual acts” carried out without the knowledge of Hamas leadership.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire in place in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah since last November, after a year-long confrontation sparked by the war in Gaza.

During the conflict, Hamas, an ally of Iran-backed Hezbollah, had claimed responsibility for launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel. While Hezbollah ceased its operations following the truce, two rocket launches occurred in March, with no group claiming responsibility. The Lebanese army later said it had received suspects from Hamas, and Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council warned Hamas against any actions that threaten national security.

Hamas’s representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdul-Hadi, said in a statement: “The rocket incident was an individual act carried out by a few youths, driven by anger and as a reaction to the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza after breaking the ceasefire. Hamas had no prior knowledge of it and did not authorize the act,” he claimed.

He stressed that Hamas “fully abides by the ceasefire in Lebanon and has informed all Lebanese official authorities accordingly.”

Following the launches on March 22 and 28, Israel responded by bombing southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburb. The army initially arrested suspects, then later announced it had received three others from Hamas who had taken refuge in Palestinian refugee camps.

Abdul-Hadi added: “From the very beginning, after the Lebanese government officially requested the handover of four suspects, the movement cooperated and positively responded by handing over three of them.”

He also noted that “coordination is ongoing with the relevant security authorities to complete the process,” confirming that Hamas had been informed of the Supreme Defense Council’s decision and had affirmed its commitment.

During the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Hamas and other groups allied with Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel. In response, Israel targeted leaders and members of various groups, including Hamas, even after the ceasefire came into effect.

Following the war, in which Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in both military and leadership ranks, Lebanese authorities reaffirmed their intention to “limit arms to the state” and extend their control over the entire territory, preventing any armed presence outside state forces.

Why now?

The timing of Hamas’s admission coincides with growing domestic criticism in Lebanon, especially after the rocket attacks nearly reignited war with Israel and threatened to turn southern Lebanon into a new conflict zone—just ahead of President Mahmoud Abbas’s visit to Beirut.

President Abbas is scheduled to visit Beirut on May 21. A Lebanese government source said that Abbas would discuss “moving to an operational phase to assert state authority over the entire Lebanese territory, including the Palestinian refugee camps.”

According to a decades-old agreement, Palestinian factions manage security within the camps, which the Lebanese army does not enter. The camps host factions from Fatah, Hamas, and others.

Abdul-Hadi concluded: “To date, no official Lebanese authority has approached us regarding Palestinian weapons. Should such a request arise, we will respond with a unified Palestinian stance—one that respects Lebanese sovereignty and interests, while also preserving the interests of the Palestinian people.”