Israeli forces capture senior Hezbollah operative in northern Lebanon PHOTO/VIDEO

On November 2, an Israeli military official announced that naval forces conducted a raid in a northern Lebanese town, apprehending a man identified as a senior operative of Hezbollah. 

The army named the individual as Ali Soleiman al-Assi, stating that he resides in the southern Syrian region of Saida, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Associated Press.

They indicated that al-Assi had been under military surveillance for several months and was implicated in Iranian initiatives aimed at regions of the Golan Heights annexed by Israel, which lie adjacent to the Syrian border.

Body camera footage from the raid, released by the Israeli military, depicted soldiers capturing a man in a white tank top within a building. The military reported that he was subsequently taken to Israel for interrogation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Lebanon border on November 3, emphasising efforts to prevent Hezbollah from rearming through what he termed the “oxygen lifeline” of Iranian weapons being transferred to Lebanon via Syria. Israel claims its ongoing operations in Lebanon are intended to push Hezbollah away from the border and halt over a year of attacks launched by the group against northern Israel.

On November 3, the Israeli military also announced a ground raid into Syria, where they apprehended a Syrian citizen linked to Iranian networks. This marked the first time Israel has publicly confirmed ground operations within Syrian territory during the current conflict.

While Israel has conducted multiple airstrikes in Syria over the past year, targeting members of Hezbollah and Iranian officials—both of whom are closely allied with Syria—this is the first instance of Israel disclosing a ground incursion.

The military described the seizure as part of a special operation “that took place in recent months,” although they did not specify the exact timing of the operation. Syria has yet to confirm the announcement, but a pro-government radio station, Sham FM, reported on November 3 that Israeli forces executed a “kidnapping operation” over the summer aimed at an individual in the southern region of the country.

Israel has intensified its bombardment campaign in Lebanon over the past six weeks and has conducted a ground invasion along the shared border, pledging to significantly weaken Hezbollah's capabilities.

By Aghakazim Guliyev