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Israeli forces capture senior Hezbollah operative in Lebanon's Batroun: Report
Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah issued a statement labelling the caputre by Israeli naval forces as a “Zionist aggression in the Batroun area.”
Israeli naval forces captured a senior Hezbollah operative in northern Lebanon, as reported by the Associated Press, citing an Israeli military official on Saturday. This incident occurs amid ongoing tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group, which show little sign of abating.
Earlier, Lebanese authorities announced they were investigating whether Israel was involved in the capture of a Lebanese sea captain, who was taken by armed men that landed on the coast near the northern town of Batroun on Friday.
“The operative has been transferred to Israeli territory and is currently being investigated,” the military official told AP, without disclosing the name of the detained individual.
Hezbollah issued a statement labelling the event as a “Zionist aggression in the Batroun area.” The statement did not provide further details or confirm if a Hezbollah member had been captured by Israel.
How was the operation carried out?
Two Lebanese military officials confirmed to the Associated Press that a naval force landed in Batroun, located approximately 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Beirut, and took a Lebanese citizen. However, they did not disclose the man's identity or clarify whether he was believed to have ties to Hezbollah. They also did not confirm if the armed individuals were part of an Israeli operation.
Three Lebanese judicial officials told the Associated Press that the operation occurred at dawn on Friday and suggested that the captain might have connections to Hezbollah. They indicated that an investigation is underway to determine whether the man is affiliated with Hezbollah or if he was working for an Israeli intelligence agency, and whether an Israeli force intervened to rescue him.
Following Israel's announcement about the operation, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the foreign minister to lodge a complaint against Israel with the U.N. Security Council.
This operation represents the first instance in which Israel has reported deploying troops deep into northern Lebanon to capture a senior Hezbollah operative since hostilities escalated between the two sides in late September. Since that time, Israeli forces have launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon and increased airstrikes across the country, targeting areas including southern Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley, which resulted in the deaths of many of Hezbollah's senior commanders.
In the past, Israel has conducted commando operations deep within Lebanon aimed at capturing or eliminating Hezbollah and Palestinian officials.
Following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the conflict in Gaza, Hezbollah responded by launching rockets, drones, and missiles into Israel in solidarity with Hamas. The ongoing cross-border skirmishes escalated into a full-scale war on October 1, when Israeli forces initiated a ground invasion of southern Lebanon for the first time since 2006.
