Israeli forces capture senior Hezbollah leader during northern amphibious assault

Nov. 2 (UPI) — The Israeli military on Saturday confirmed unofficial reports that it had captured a senior Hezbollah naval commander in an amphibious operation carried out deep in northern Lebanon.

This was the first time that awareness of the raid had emerged published video social media appeared to show Israeli commandos landing on a beach in the northern city of Batroun and arresting a man allegedly a senior Hezbollah naval commander.

The IDF later confirmed the wa statement Down media outlets that Shayetet 13 forces landed in Batroun – a Christian city far from the southern theater of operations – captured a senior Hezbollah leader and took him to Israeli territory.

“The operator has been transferred to Israeli territory and is currently under investigation by Unit 504,” an IDF statement said.

Lebanese officials identified the man as sailor Imad Amhaz and said the operation was actually a “kidnapping” of one of the Lebanese nationals.

Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamieh said Amhaz’s abduction could constitute a violation of UN Resolution 1701, which is intended to regulate security dynamics between Israel and Lebanon after the 2006 war.

“Amhaz’s kidnapping took place 100 meters from his residence” – Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamieh he told local mediasuggesting that the operation may be in violation of United Nations Resolution 1701, adopted after the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon.

“If it is proven that the kidnapping took place by sea landing, where is the implementation of Resolution 1701?” Hamieh said.

Witnesses said they saw unidentified military forces land on a beach in Batroun at dawn on Friday, enter a nearby cottage and take Amhaz away, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

Witnesses said armed forces took the man and left in speedboats.

Hezbollah confirmed that there had been “Zionist aggression in the Batroun area,” but did not provide any details about it.

The raid came after Hezbollah said in late September that its forces had targeted a naval base on the northern Mediterranean coast where Shayetet 13 special forces are stationed.

This action occurred on September 23, but IDF officials said no injuries were reported, with no confirmation that Hezbollah attacked the base.

On Saturday, the IDF also said it had “eliminated” Jaafer Khader Faour, commander of the Hezbollah Nasser Unit’s missile and missile complex, in southern Lebanon.

Faour was responsible for rocket attacks in the Golan area, including recent attacks that killed Israeli civilians, including dozens of children, the IDF said Saturday in write to X.

Faour was responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks from eastern Lebanon and led the firing of the first rockets into Israeli territory on October 8, 2023.

The rocket attacks sparked hostilities that continue on Israel’s northern front bordering Lebanon.

The IDF did not say when, where or how they killed Faour.