BATROUN, Lebanon — Israeli naval forces captured a senior Hezbollah operative in north Lebanon, an Israeli army official mentioned Saturday, because the battle between the Iran-backed group and Israel confirmed few indicators of easing.
Earlier on Saturday, Lebanese authorities mentioned it was investigating whether or not Israel was behind the seize of a Lebanese sea captain who was taken away by a gaggle of armed males who had landed on the coast close to the northern city of Batroun on Friday.
“The operative has been transferred to Israeli territory and is at present being investigated,” the army official mentioned, with out offering the title of the particular person in detention.
The operation marks the primary time Israel has introduced it deployed troops deep into northern Lebanon to take a senior Hezbollah operative captive for the reason that battle between the 2 sides escalated in late September. Since then, Israeli forces started a floor invasion of southern Lebanon and intensified its airstrikes throughout the nation, together with southern Beirut and the japanese Bekaa valley, killing most of Hezbollah’s senior commanders.
Hezbollah issued an announcement describing what occurred as a “Zionist aggression within the Batroun space.” The assertion didn’t give particulars or verify whether or not a Hezbollah member was captured by Israel.
Two Lebanese army officers confirmed to The Related Press {that a} naval power landed in Batroun, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of Beirut, and kidnapped a Lebanese citizen. Neither gave the person’s id or mentioned whether or not he was thought to have hyperlinks to Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. They didn’t verify whether or not the armed males had been an Israeli power.
Three Lebanese judicial officers instructed AP the operation occurred at daybreak Friday, including that the captain might need hyperlinks with Hezbollah. The officers mentioned an investigation is wanting into whether or not the person is linked to Hezbollah or working for an Israeli spy company and an Israeli power got here to rescue him.
Each the army and judicial officers spoke on the situation of anonymity as they had been unauthorized to share particulars in regards to the incident or the continued investigation.
Quickly after Israel went public in regards to the operation, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati known as on Lebanon’s international minister to file a criticism in opposition to Israel on the U.N. Safety Council.
Israel has carried out previously commando operations deep inside Lebanon to kidnap or kill Hezbollah and Palestinian officers.
Recounting the occasion, Lebanese residents from the house constructing the place the person was seized mentioned the armed group launched themselves as state safety.
“We had been terrified. They had been breaking into the house subsequent to ours,” Hussein Delbani instructed The Related Press close to the place the person was captured. “I believed a state company was doing a safety operation,” mentioned Delbani, who was displaced from south Lebanon a month in the past when the Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted.
He mentioned he noticed from his balcony individuals down on the coast and so they screamed once more for him to go inside.
Hamie instructed Al-Jadeed the person was a captain of civilian ships. He graduated in 2022 and in late September joined the Batroun’s Maritime Sciences and Know-how Institute for extra programs. Hamie mentioned that the person lived some 300 meters (980 toes) from the institute.
Hamie’s remarks got here shortly after two Lebanese journalists posted a video on social media displaying what seemed to be about 20 armed males taking away a person from in entrance a home, his face coated along with his shirt.
Kandice Ardiel, a spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping power deployed in south Lebanon, denied allegations by some native journalists who mentioned that the peacekeepers helped the touchdown power within the operation. The U.N. mission, often called UNIFIL, has a maritime power that screens the coast.
“Disinformation and false rumors are irresponsible and put peacekeepers in danger,” Ardiel mentioned.
Hezbollah started firing rockets, drones and missiles from Lebanon into Israel in solidarity with Hamas instantly after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which triggered the conflict in Gaza. The yearlong cross-border preventing boiled over to full-blown conflict on Oct. 1, when Israeli forces launched a floor invasion of southern Lebanon for the primary time since 2006.
___
Mroue reported from Beirut. Related Press writers Sally Abou Aljoud in Beirut and Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.
___
Comply with AP’s conflict protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
