Lebanese security forces arrested a senior Islamic State security official who investigators said had been living in Lebanon on a near-permanent basis while overseeing the terrorist group's operations in parts of Syria, according to Lebanese authorities, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Wednesday.

Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced that officers arrested a Syrian national identified only by the initials H.R., born in 1994, during an operation on June 30 as part of what officials described as ongoing efforts to dismantle extremist networks before they can carry out attacks.

Authorities said preliminary investigations indicate the suspect was not a low-level ISIS operative but had risen through the group's ranks to become its general security emir for the organization's self-proclaimed Southern and Central provinces in Syria.

According to the ISF, the suspect was responsible for supervising the terrorist group's security operations, managing the movement of ISIS operatives, carrying out directives from senior leaders and coordinating activities with commanders in other Syrian provinces.

While the ISF did not disclose where the arrest occurred, a Lebanese judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the suspect was taken into custody in Beirut last week following an extensive intelligence operation that tracked his presence in the country.

The source said initial questioning revealed the suspect had been residing in Lebanon on a "semi-permanent" basis.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted planning attacks inside Syria, including preparations to target a Syrian army barracks in Daraa province and other locations, according to the judicial source.

Lebanese investigators are now examining evidence seized during the arrest, including the suspect's mobile phone and laptop, to determine the scope of his communications, identify possible associates, and establish whether he received logistical support or operational instructions from other individuals or organizations.

Authorities briefly detained two of the suspect's relatives for questioning but later released them after investigators found no evidence linking them to ISIS activities or the alleged attack plots.

Lebanese judicial officials said the investigation is considered particularly significant because of the suspect's alleged senior leadership role within ISIS, which they believe could provide valuable intelligence on the terrorist group's structure, networks and operations inside neighboring Syria.

Lebanon also plans to coordinate with Syrian authorities to exchange intelligence on the suspect's contacts and determine whether individuals or groups inside Syria assisted in planning terrorist attacks.

According to the judicial source, the suspect denied any involvement in the recent ISIS-claimed bombings in Damascus, though investigators said the inquiry remains ongoing pending a forensic examination of his electronic devices.