Israeli naval commandos on Friday night captured a man described as a senior Hezbollah figure in an unusual raid deep inside Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Saturday. The IDF stated that Shayetet 13, the Navy’s elite commando unit, conducted the operation along the Batroun coast, approximately 140 kilometers from Israel’s maritime border. The target, identified by media as Imad Amhaz, is regarded by Israeli intelligence as a crucial source of information on Hezbollah’s naval operations. He was taken to Israel for questioning by Unit 504, a division specializing in human intelligence.
The raid, which reportedly involved forces arriving by sea and using speedboats to extract Amhaz, drew immediate reaction from Lebanese officials. Prime Minister Najib Mikati ordered an investigation and directed Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to file a complaint with the UN Security Council. Public Works Minister Ali Hamie, affiliated with Hezbollah, stated that Amhaz is a civilian captain and student at a naval institute in Batroun. Hamie’s comments followed the release of security camera footage apparently showing armed men taking Amhaz from his apartment.
The operation stands out as Israeli ground forces typically limit their activities to southern Lebanon, while airstrikes have targeted areas north of Beirut. Lebanon-based journalist Hasan Illaik reported that the raid may have involved coordination with the German Navy within the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, to prevent interference by Lebanese forces. UNIFIL, however, denied any involvement, warning that “misleading information and unfounded rumors” endanger peacekeepers.