Hezbollah was operating a covert maritime network disguised as a civilian endeavor under the direct supervision of now deceased Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, and the IDF launched an operation to capture a key terrorist, Imad Amhaz, in this system, the army recently revealed.
“Amhaz revealed that he played a leading role in Hezbollah’s covert maritime framework and disclosed details about some of the organization’s most sensitive and tightly compartmentalized programs,” the military said on Friday.
The IDF operation was conducted a year ago in the coastal town of Batroun in northern Lebanon by the Shayetet 13 special naval operations unit, marking a ground mission in a city almost 140 kilometers from the Israeli border, according to Army Radio.
“This operation enabled the IDF to disrupt the advancement of the covert maritime portfolio at a critical juncture, preventing its consolidation within Hezbollah,” the army said.
Nasrallah's maritime terror network
The IDF later circulated a video of Amhaz’s interrogation. In it, the terrorist could be allegedly heard disclosing the names of the Hezbollah leaders involved in the naval affair (all of whom were killed during the war) and talking about how Nasrallah was involved in the network.
He also said that the main objective was using “transfers in commercial vessels for operations against the State of Israel,” with these being centered on transferring military personnel, assets, weapons, and equipment.
Further, Amhaz said that these operations could target both Israeli and international objectives. “As long as you have people, money, and a ship, it’s possible to conduct such an operation,” he said.
The captured terrorist had extensive naval experience and also underwent training at the Lebanese Army Naval Academy, according to Army Radio.