On November 1, 2024, a “naval commando” kidnapped a Lebanese man in a town north of Beirut in Lebanon, where the war rages between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. A judicial official pointing the finger at Israel.
Without revealing the identity of the kidnapped Lebanese, the Lebanese national news agency Ani also reported this incident which occurred Friday at dawn in Batroun, about fifty kilometers from Beirut.
Ongoing investigation
“A naval commando kidnapped a civilian, an investigation is underway into the circumstances of the kidnapping”indicated to l'AFP the Lebanese military source speaking on condition of anonymity. “We are also investigating to see if it is an Israeli (force)” she clarified.
Israel singled out
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a judicial official confirmed that an investigation had been opened, saying the operation was “90%” the work of a “Israeli commando”.
A photographer from l'AFP in Batroun saw Lebanese soldiers inspecting the coast on Saturday, near the building where the man was kidnapped.
Contacted by the office of l'AFP in Jerusalem, the Israeli army said “check” this information.
Commando naval
According to the Ani agency, citing residents, “a military force” carried out a “landing from the sea on the coast of Batroun”. EllShe went with all her weapons to a bungalow near the beach, kidnapping a Lebanese man before heading out into the open sea aboard a speedboat“.
This is the first time that such an incident has taken place since the start of violence between Hezbollah and Israel more than a year ago.
The victim aged around thirty
A source close to the matter in Batroun assured l'AFP that the kidnapped man was training at the Institute of Maritime Sciences and Technology (Marsati) and was around thirty years old. He resided in Institute accommodation.
The Christian town of Batroun has so far been spared the devastating Israeli bombings which since September 23 have mainly targeted Hezbollah strongholds in the south and east of Lebanon as well as in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
More than 1,900 people have been killed since that date in Lebanon, according to a count of l'AFP based on data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
