Israel’s equivalent of the Navy SEALs conducted a daring beach raid in Lebanon over the weekend, capturing a senior Hezbollah operative before escaping in a speedboat, according to officials. However, questions are arising about whether the “Hezbollah operative” captured by Israeli special forces could have been a double agent.
The operation was carried out by Shayetet 13, the Israel Defense Force’s elite commando unit, who were positioned along northern Lebanon’s coast and executed the mission at a Hezbollah site in Batroun, as reported by CNN. The highly trained soldiers reached the shoreline, seized Imad Amhaz, a high-ranking Hezbollah member, and sped away with him in a boat, the IDF confirmed.
A Capture Raising Questions
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Amhaz, thought to be a “significant source of knowledge” on Hezbollah’s naval capabilities, was handed over to Israeli interrogators in hopes of extracting details about the group’s maritime operations.
While Hezbollah condemned Israel’s actions in Batroun, it did not confirm if Amhaz was part of their organization. Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamie, told local media that Amhaz was reportedly just a civilian ship captain and a student at a civilian naval academy.
However, intelligence analysts have claimed that the unusually different approach taken to capture Ahmaz—compared to recent operations in Lebanon—suggests that he may have been working as a double agent.
Disguised as Lebanese security forces, the Israelis forced their way into Ahmaz’s apartment before transporting him back to their ship.
Since the conflict with Hamas escalated following the October 7 attack, Israel has arrested numerous high-ranking Hamas officials.
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However, during the recent tensions between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon, Israeli forces have primarily relied on air strikes to target Hezbollah leaders, which adds to the unusual nature of Friday’s operation.
An anonymous senior Lebanese political figure opposing Hezbollah told The Daily Telegraph that there are “signs suggesting that [Ahmaz] might have been a double agent.” Ronen Solomon, an Israeli defense and intelligence analyst specializing in Hezbollah operatives and activities, noted that the abduction was out of the ordinary.
He pointed out that items found in Ahmaz’s home, such as SIM cards and multiple passports, indicate he could have been involved in espionage.
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His alleged role as a senior operative in a Hezbollah unit responsible for transporting weapons and electronics used against Israel raises the possibility that he could have been recruited by Israeli intelligence.
Besides, an anonymous source in Israel remarked on the peculiarity of the CCTV footage not being disabled, as if someone wanted to create video evidence of the abduction.
Israel Going All Out
In addition to capturing Amhaz, Shayetet 13 forces were also sent to southern Lebanon to raid an underground Hezbollah facility stocked with weapons.
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Alongside other IDF units, the naval commandos eliminated several Hezbollah operatives who were hiding in a tunnel, where troops uncovered rocket launchers that were likely used to attack northern Israel.
In addition to the launchers, the soldiers recovered a plethora of military gear, including numerous assault rifles, explosives, anti-tank missiles, surface-to-air missiles, mortars, and other equipment, according to the IDF.
After eliminating the terrorists and seizing the weapons, the IDF destroyed the entire compound, which resembled other underground bunkers found along the southern border.
The Israeli military is intensifying its operations in Lebanon to put an end to the daily attacks by Hezbollah that began on October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas.
