A Lebanese security source informed Al-Jazeera on Saturday that a security group, believed to be Israeli, kidnapped a Lebanese sea captain from the Batroun area in northern Lebanon early Saturday. 

The source added that investigations are underway into the possibility that an Israeli commando unit infiltrated the area by sea to carry out the abduction.

Meanwhile, Lebanese Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh confirmed to Al-Jazeera that the individual taken in Batroun is a sea captain studying at the Institute of Marine Sciences. 

Hamieh confirmed the accuracy of details in a circulated video, noting that security services are actively investigating the incident.

🚨LEBANESE SOURCE (to Al-Jazeera):

A security group kidnapped a Lebanese citizen from the Batroun area in the north of the country at dawn today.

Investigations into the hypothesis that an Israeli commando force infiltrated by sea and carried out the kidnapping in Batroun. pic.twitter.com/pcaDiJBwuE

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 2, 2024

Reports from Lebanese media on Saturday indicated that the Israeli army conducted a landing operation in Batroun, targeting an individual identified as Imad Amhaz. 

Social media platforms circulated a video purporting to document the event.

Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Maariv cited the Israeli army as claiming that its forces had apprehended a Hezbollah official deep within Lebanon. 

For its part, the American news website Axios cited an Israeli official as saying that Israeli “naval forces arrested Imad Amhaz, a member of Hezbollah’s naval force, during an operation in northern Lebanon.”

In response, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) clarified that it had no involvement in any kidnapping or violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

This is a developing story ..

(PC, AJA)