Several journalists from the German news outlet Bild were arrested in Beirut and taken for questioning a day after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination, according to a report from the publication. Among those detained was Bild correspondent Paul Ronzheimer, who, along with his team, was forcibly removed from their hotel rooms, handcuffed, blindfolded, and transported to an unknown location.

While Bild describes the individuals responsible for the arrest as “unknown men,” it also reports that they are “said” to be members of Lebanon’s military intelligence service. The exact reason for the arrests remains unclear, but speculation arose after Hebrew media highlighted that the incident occurred shortly after Ronzheimer gave a live TV interview to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster. This interview was possibly the first live broadcast from Beirut on Israeli television since the IDF withdrew from the city in 1982.

Ronzheimer and his team were released later the same day following intervention by the German embassy in Beirut, which contacted Lebanese authorities. After his release, Ronzheimer resumed his reporting but was subsequently forced to leave Lebanon. Only after his departure did Bild reveal the details of the ordeal.

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