Israel Announces Capture of Hezbollah Operative in Naval Raid
The Israeli military reported a successful naval raid in the northern Lebanese town of Batroun, where they captured a senior Hezbollah operative on Friday. Special forces conducted the operation and brought the individual back to Israeli territory in what was described as a “special operation.”
Lebanon’s state news agency mentioned that an “unidentified military force” arrived at the beach at dawn, raided a nearby building, captured one person, and left by speedboat. This incident has sparked outrage from Lebanese authorities, prompting Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s office to instruct the foreign ministry to file a complaint with the UN Security Council.
The Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping force Unifil are both investigating the raid, with Mikati urging for expedited results. Lebanese transport minister Ali Hamieh raised concerns that the raid may have violated UN Security Council resolution 1701, which aims to end hostilities following the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in 2006.
Hezbollah has not responded to Israel’s claim that the captured individual was a member of the group. Hamieh stated that the man was a captain of civilian ships. CCTV footage circulating online, reportedly from Batroun, showed soldiers leading a captive between buildings.
The Israeli military provided limited information about the operation, mentioning that Shayetet 13, a marine commando unit specializing in sea-to-land incursions, was involved. Batroun, a Christian town north of Beirut, has typically been shielded from Israeli military actions in Lebanon, which have primarily concentrated on the south, the Bekaa valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Since Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30, over 2,200 individuals have lost their lives in Lebanon. The Israeli military reported 38 soldiers killed in Lebanon during this period. The situation remains tense as investigations continue into the recent naval raid in Batroun.
