Israel kidnapped Hezbollah official during unprecedented naval operation
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Israeli military forces claimed to have abducted a high-ranking Hezbollah official during an unprecedented operation, where special forces landed on the shores of Batroun in northern Lebanon, captured the alleged official, and escaped on a fast boat, reports The Guardian.
Axios, citing Israeli sources, reported that the captured individual, Imad Amhaz, was responsible for Hezbollah's naval operations.
The Lebanese government stated that Amhaz was a civilian ship captain and promised to file a complaint with the UN Security Council.
"An unidentified military force carried out a landing operation on the beach of Batroun, and moved … to a chalet near the beach, where it kidnapped the citizen Imad Amhaz and … left by speedboats to the open sea," reported the Lebanese National News Agency.
"The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will continue to act wherever necessary to protect the state of Israel and its citizens," stated an Israeli military representative.
The Lebanese transport minister, Ali Hamieh, stated that Amhaz's abduction could be a violation of UN Resolution 1701, which is meant to regulate security dynamics between Israel and Lebanon following the 2006 war.
On the evening of November 2, the IDF eliminated Hezbollah commander Jaafar Khader Faour. He was responsible for the initial rocket attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023. In particular, an Israeli Air Force fighter jet, in collaboration with the Northern Command, destroyed Faour in the Jouaiah area in southern Lebanon. According to the IDF, another commander of a drone unit was also eliminated alongside him.
