A day after an Israeli naval commando unit captured a suspected Hezbollah operative, new details emerged on the raid.
According to Al-Akhbar – a newspaper with close ties to Hezbollah – the unit disguised as Lebanese security forces and the raid, which lasted merely four minutes and took place in Al-Bateroun on Friday, involved approximately 20 operatives and several civilians, whose identities remain unclear.
Video: Footage of the raid
Al-Akhbar, a newspaper with close ties to Hezbollah, reports that the target building where the suspect was captured contained several residential units. "The operation shocked official entities. However, silence prevailed in relevant senior officials' offices, military institutions, and security forces, while 'sovereignty advocates' remained quiet, awaiting investigation results," the newspaper stated.
The Lebanese government expressed protest through Prime Minister Najib Mikati's statement, while Labor Minister Ali Hamiyeh explained that the detainee, Imad Amhaz, had taken a course at a civilian institute training him for commercial vessels and yachts navigation. The building owner stated that Amhaz had rented the apartment about a month ago.
Lebanese media sources reported that the force approached the shore using speedboats and military equipment, departing the same way with support from a larger vessel. The apartment search revealed ten SIM cards and foreign passports. While one security camera footage leaked, the rest was deleted.
Furthermore, Al-Akhbar quoted sources highlighting several points. They claimed there was "no military or security presence of Hezbollah" in the raid area. Secondly, the sources stated there was "no confirmation" that the detainee was a Hezbollah member.
According to the report, Amhaz had previously completed maritime courses two years ago and returned two months ago for additional training, while seeking to apply for a position in the Lebanese Navy's maritime force. The sources also raised questions about the role of the army and Lebanese security forces in failing to prevent the raid.
