Lebanese ship captain, identified as Imad Ahmaz, was reportedly abducted by Israeli special forces, raising questions about his possible role as a double agent. According to the Israeli military, Ahmaz was a “senior Hezbollah operative” and was taken from a residential building in Batroun, about 20 miles north of Beirut. The operation was carried out by Shayetet 13, Israel’s elite naval commandos, who launched the raid from an undisclosed location in the Mediterranean.

The commandos reportedly posed as Lebanese security forces to gain access to Ahmaz’s apartment. The raid, which took place in a residential building near the Batroun Marina, involved the use of speedboats. Witnesses described the commandos as professional and stealthy, noting that they did not reveal their identities. A resident quoted by the New York Times mentioned only hearing voices and seeing shadows, claiming the intruders identified themselves as state security personnel.

Intelligence experts suggest that Ahmaz might have been a double agent. This theory stems from the unique nature of the operation, which deviated from Israel’s typical strategies against Hezbollah, such as airstrikes in southern Lebanon. The operation’s location, a residential area close to a tourist hub, also added to the unusual circumstances. Ronen Solomon, an Israeli defense and intelligence analyst, highlighted the discovery of multiple passports, SIM cards, and an old Nokia phone in Ahmaz’s room, indicating possible espionage activities.

Ahmaz was allegedly involved in transporting weapons and electronics for Hezbollah and may have been recruited by Israel as a double agent. His family business, Stars Group Holding, had been sanctioned by the US in 2014 for providing communications devices to Hezbollah. An Israeli security source suggested that critical data might have been deliberately left behind during the operation, hinting at an intricate intelligence play.