In a significant escalation of hostilities, Israeli naval forces captured a senior Hezbollah operative in northern Lebanon on Saturday, according to a statement by an Israeli military official. The capture is reportedly the first known instance of Israeli troops operating deep in northern Lebanon since the latest conflict with Hezbollah intensified in late September. The detained operative was transferred to Israel for interrogation, though specific details, including the individual’s identity, were not disclosed.
The Lebanese government has launched an investigation into the abduction, with officials exploring possible connections between the captured man and Hezbollah. This comes amid a backdrop of heightened hostilities as Israeli forces conduct a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, intensifying airstrikes in Hezbollah-dominated areas, including southern Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. These actions, according to Israeli officials, aim to dismantle Hezbollah’s senior leadership and restrict its operations.
Lebanese Response and International Reactions
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the operation, directing Lebanon’s foreign minister to file a formal complaint with the U.N. Security Council. Meanwhile, Lebanese residents in Batroun reported that the group carrying out the capture identified themselves as “state security.” Hussein Delbani, a local resident, described his alarm, saying, “I thought a state agency was doing a security operation,” noting that he initially mistook the operatives for Lebanese security forces.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, denied involvement, responding to social media claims of assistance in the operation. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel dismissed the allegations as “false rumors,” emphasizing that such disinformation could place peacekeepers at risk.
Escalating Regional Hostilities
This latest development follows a series of escalations since October 1, when Israeli ground forces launched an incursion into southern Lebanon, marking the first such operation since 2006. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel intensified after Hezbollah began supporting Hamas with rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
