The Lebanese army announced that it halted on Tuesday an attempt to smuggle a surveillance drone to gunmen on the eastern mountain range.

The Lebanese army announced that it halted on Tuesday an attempt to smuggle a surveillance drone to gunmen on the eastern mountain range.

The military said in a statement on Wednesday that it thwarted the smuggling of a Flying Cam, which was going to be used to spy on and photograph army locations.

Investigations are underway to determine the seller of the plane and those involved in the operation.

Later on Wednesday, the National News Agency reported that five people were arrested over their links to the case.

The army intelligence raided the house of Syrian detainee Mohammed al-Jaber in the town of al-Sweiri in the west Bekaa region.

Five people were arrested in the raid, during which a drone, equipped with a seven-kilometer-range camera, was discovered.

Jaber was previously arrested in the town of Bar Elias on charges of gun trade and smuggling small drones that are equipped with advanced cameras.

He was seeking to deliver the drones to gunmen on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The army communique also warned vendors of Flying Cam drones to inspect the identity of their buyers and the purpose of their purchase before selling them.

In addition, it urged owners of these planes to obtain a license from the Army Command before operating them.