📰 5 sources 11 articles · 19 Oct 2026, 11:04 → 25 days ago

Tunnel under construction discovered in Fanar; reports of gold digging and steps to backfill it

On 19 October 2026, a tunnel under construction was found inside a wooded area in the Fanar region of Lebanon. Fanar Municipality head Michel Salameh said initial information indicated that what was found was the beginning of a tunnel being dug, and the municipality later announced that security agency reports indicated the digging was aimed at searching for gold and that the tunnel does not lead to any other exit. The municipality is working with the Lebanese Army to take the necessary measures to backfill the tunnel.

📍 Where things stand: Fanar Municipality and the Lebanese Army are taking measures to backfill/close the tunnel, after security agency reports indicated that the digging was aimed at searching for gold and that the tunnel does not lead to any other exit.

⏱️ Timeline

19 Oct 2026, 11:04 Al Jadeed published a report on how a tunnel was found in the Fanar area, without additional details in the available text about the circumstances of the discovery or the parties involved.
19 Oct 2026, 11:57 Fanar Municipality head Michel Salameh told Al Jadeed that initial information indicated that what was found was the beginning of a tunnel being dug, after a tunnel was found inside a wooded area between Fanar and Zaitariya and the competent agencies moved.
19 Oct 2026, 14:51 LBCI Lebanon reported the appearance of a hole between the Fanar and Jadida areas, without details in the report about the hole's size, causes, or any measures taken regarding it.
19 Oct 2026, 18:14 Fanar Municipality, according to Al Jadeed, resolved the controversy over the hole by saying that what was found was gold, amid widespread reports about the hole's contents.
19 Oct 2026, 18:46 Fanar Municipality announced that it had received a report of suspicious activity in a wooded area within the town, and a municipal police patrol inspected the site and found a tunnel under construction. After contacting the competent authorities and army intelligence, specialized teams accompanied by engineering units arrived and examined the tunnel. Security agency reports indicated that the digging was aimed at searching for gold and that the tunnel does not lead to any other exit, while the municipality is working with the Lebanese Army to take the necessary measures to backfill the tunnel.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Location of the hole/tunnel

inside a wooded area between Fanar and Zaitariya according to tayyar.org
between the Fanar and Jadida areas according to LBCI Lebanon

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

How the sources covered it

Some coverage focused on the mayor's account and the nature of what was found, while others focused on the municipality's statement, the gold-digging purpose, and backfilling measures; LBCI limited itself to describing a hole between two areas. Headlines varied between 'tunnel' and 'hidden hole'.

aljadeed It opened with a report on how the tunnel was found, then later ran a headline saying the municipality resolved the controversy by stating that what was found was gold, without extensive details of the municipal statement.
tayyar.org It focused on the first comment by municipality head Michel Salameh, quoting him as saying that what was found was the beginning of a tunnel being dug, and locating it inside a wooded area between Fanar and Zaitariya.
MTV Lebanon It carried video reports on the mayor revealing details, then published the detailed municipal statement about the suspicious activity, the patrol's inspection, the arrival of army intelligence and engineering teams, the gold-digging purpose, the absence of another exit, and work to backfill the tunnel.
lebanon debate It presented the incident as a hidden hole or the beginning of a tunnel, highlighted the mayor's account and a report about a fisherman's tip, while the summary also included other unrelated headlines.
LBCI Lebanon It limited itself to a brief report on the appearance of a hole between the Fanar and Jadida areas, without details on size, causes, or measures.
Lebanon Debate It published Fanar Municipality's statement about finding a tunnel under construction in a wooded area, reporting that security agency reports indicated the digging was to search for gold, that the tunnel does not lead to another exit, and that work with the army is underway to close it.