Lebanon seizes $2.5 million bound for Hezbollah, sources say

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon seized $2.5 million in cash from a man arriving from Turkey on Friday, the finance ministry said, with three sources saying the money was destined for militant group Hezbollah.

One of the sources said it was the first time such a seizure had been made. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

"The detainee and the seized funds will be handed over to the investigation division at the General Directorate of General Security," Lebanon's finance ministry said in a statement, without making a reference to Hezbollah.

The terms of a ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hezbollah in November require the Lebanese army to deploy into south Lebanon as Israeli troops and Hezbollah withdraw forces.

Iran-backed Hezbollah was the most powerful force in Lebanese politics but its influence and resources took a hit during its year-long conflict with Israel.

Its weakened stature has been reflected in Lebanon's post-war politics, with the group unable to impose its will in the formation of a new government and language legitimising its arsenal omitted from the new cabinet's policy statement.

Last month, Israel's U.N. ambassador accused Hezbollah of trying "to regain strength and rearm with the assistance of Iran". A senior Lebanese source close to Hezbollah denied the allegations.

Lebanon halted an Iranian flight to Beirut earlier this month after the Israeli military accused Tehran of using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm Hezbollah.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily, Timour Azhari and Laila Bassam; Writing by Hatem Maher; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Andrew Heavens, William Maclean)

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