Israeli naval forces reportedly captured a senior Hezbollah operative in northern Lebanon, according to an Israeli military official on Saturday. The incident marks the latest escalation in the conflict between the Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel, with little indication of tensions easing.
Lebanese authorities began investigating whether Israel was responsible for the abduction of a Lebanese sea captain, reportedly taken by armed men who arrived by sea near the northern town of Batroun on Friday. “The operative has been transferred to Israeli territory and is currently being questioned,” the Israeli military official confirmed, without disclosing the detainee’s name.
Israel’s Rare Cross-Border Operation
This operation is notable as it’s the first confirmed instance of Israeli forces penetrating deep into northern Lebanon to capture a high-ranking Hezbollah figure since the recent escalation began in late September. Since then, Israel has launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, intensified airstrikes, and targeted Hezbollah strongholds, including in southern Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, resulting in the reported deaths of many senior Hezbollah commanders.
In a statement, Hezbollah condemned the raid as a “Zionist aggression in the Batroun area” but did not confirm the capture or identify the person involved.
Lebanese Government Reacts to Alleged Israeli Operation
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called for the foreign ministry to file a complaint against Israel with the United Nations Security Council. This request follows reports from Lebanese military and judicial officials, who, while confirming the raid, declined to disclose the identity of the captured individual or his alleged links to Hezbollah. They noted the armed men landed in Batroun, about 18 miles north of Beirut, at dawn on Friday, but did not verify if the captors were Israeli forces.
Local residents reported hearing the men announce themselves as state security. “We were terrified. They broke into the apartment next to ours,” said Hussein Delbani, who had relocated from southern Lebanon after the Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted. He witnessed people on the coast urging him to remain inside during the operation.
Conflicting Reports on the Identity of the Captured Man
According to local reports, the man is identified as a civilian sea captain who recently graduated and was pursuing further studies in Batroun. A video circulating on social media showed around 20 armed men removing the individual, his face concealed, from an apartment building.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) denied accusations by local journalists that they assisted Israeli forces during the raid. “Disinformation and false rumors are irresponsible and put peacekeepers at risk,” UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said.
Intensifying Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
The capture comes amid escalating hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. After Hamas launched an assault on Israel on October 7, Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones, and missiles in solidarity with Hamas, sparking further conflict. Hostilities erupted into a full-scale war on October 1, when Israeli ground forces entered southern Lebanon for the first time since 2006.
