The Israeli military confirmed today that it captured a “high-ranking Hezbollah operative” in Lebanon during an operation carried out by an elite naval unit in the town of Batrun, north of Beirut.
“During a special operation carried out by ‘Shayetet 13’ (navy commandos) in the city of Batroun, Lebanon, a high-ranking Hezbollah operative was captured,” a military official said in a statement.
The man, whose name was not initially released, “was transferred to Israeli territory and is currently being investigated,” added the official, who asked not to be named.
The detainee is considered an expert in his field and is being questioned by a unit of the military’s intelligence services, the official explained, without giving further details.
Earlier today, a military source in Lebanon told AFP that a “navy commando” had abducted a Lebanese “citizen” and that an investigation was underway to establish the circumstances of the abduction.
Shortly thereafter, a judicial official pointed to Israel as behind the kidnapping.
Lebanon’s national intelligence agency (ANI) said the events took place early Friday in Batroun, located about 50 km from Beirut.
According to ANI, quoting residents, “a military force made a landing on the Batrun coast. This force went with all its weaponry to a bungalow near the beach, kidnapping a Lebanese man before heading out into the open sea in a speedboat.”
An AFP photographer in Batroun today saw Lebanese soldiers inspecting the shore, near the building where the man was abducted.
A well-informed source in Batrun told AFP that the abducted man was studying at the Institute of Maritime Sciences and Technology (Marsati) and was around 30 years old. He lived in Institute accommodation.
It is the first time such an operation has been carried out since the start of violence more than a year ago between the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah and Israel, which have been at open war since September 23.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has asked the foreign ministry to lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council, according to a statement issued by his office, adding that the Lebanese army and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon are also investigating the abduction. of the Lebanese citizen. The prime minister’s office also reported that the arrested person’s name is Imad Amhaz.
The Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit carried out a raid in northern Lebanon last night, capturing a Hezbollah official, the military confirms.
The Hezbollah operative, Imad Amhaz, is considered by the IDF to be a «significant source of knowledge» in the terror group’s… pic.twitter.com/21GZJGcgkh
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