Israel says Hezbollah operative captured in naval raid
The Israeli military announced that a senior Hezbollah operative was captured during a naval raid in Batroun, a town in northern Lebanon, on Friday.
An official reported that special forces apprehended the individual and transported them back to Israel in what was described as a “special operation.”
Lebanon’s state news agency reported that an “unidentified military force” arrived on the beach at dawn, raided a nearby building, and captured one person before departing by speedboat.
The raid has sparked anger among Lebanese officials. Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s office stated that he has instructed the foreign ministry to file a complaint with the UN Security Council.
The statement added that both the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, are investigating the incident, with Mikati calling for “expedited” findings.
Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamieh suggested the raid may have breached UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was enacted to end hostilities following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
“If it is proven that the abduction occurred via a naval landing, where is the enforcement of Resolution 1701?” Hamieh was quoted as saying in local media.
