In a rare and bold operation, the Israeli military successfully abducted what it claims is a senior Hezbollah operative during a raid on Saturday morning in Batroun, northern Lebanon. According to Israeli military officials, commandos landed on the beach, captured the individual, and escaped via speedboat. The operation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, occurring almost 100 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border.
The Israeli military identified the captured man as Imad Amhaz, stating he was involved in Hezbollah’s naval operations and has been transferred to Israel for interrogation by military intelligence. However, Lebanon’s caretaker Minister of Transport, Ali Hamie, contested this characterization, asserting that Amhaz was merely a civilian boat captain. Hezbollah has yet to comment on the claims regarding Amhaz's alleged affiliation with the organization.
In response to the incident, Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, announced plans to file a complaint with the UN Security Council, and he has called on both Lebanon’s military and the United Nations peacekeeping forces to investigate the operation.
The raid is notable not only for its boldness but also for its execution, as it took place in an area that is not traditionally associated with Hezbollah operations. Lebanese media reported that Israeli forces executed the operation within close proximity to Amhaz's residence. Hamie highlighted that this operation could violate UN resolution 1701, which governs security between Israel and Lebanon following the 2006 war, questioning the adherence to the resolution given the method of the abduction.
Amhaz’s kidnapping occurred amid heightened tensions in the region, following a series of confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah. Since the escalation began on October 8, 2023, after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, fighting has largely remained concentrated near the Israel-Lebanon border. Israeli forces had previously conducted ground raids close to the border, but this operation represents a significant deviation from their typical strategies, which have predominantly relied on aerial bombings in non-border areas.
As the conflict intensifies, Israeli airstrikes continued on Saturday, targeting various locations across Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, resulting in casualties. Concurrently, Hezbollah responded with rocket and drone attacks, injuring several individuals in central Israel.
Over the past year, the ongoing violence between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people and left more than 13,300 injured, with the majority of casualties occurring in the last five weeks alone.
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