Yesterday (Saturday), various Lebanese media outlets published footage of an event that took place in the village of Beitron, located on the Mediterranean coast about 40 kilometers north of Beirut and 180 kilometers from the Israeli border at Rosh Hanikra. The footage, mostly from security cameras, showed a group of around 20 armed men resembling Israeli military forces, leading a bound man dressed in civilian clothing. This sparked suspicions of an Israeli commando operation, though many found it hard to believe Israel would operate so far into Lebanon.
However, within a few hours, the IDF released an official confirmation of the operation: Shayetet 13 forces raided Beitron in a covert and quiet operation with the support of the Israeli Navy and captured a senior Hezbollah operative from the terrorist organization’s naval unit, whom the IDF defined as a key knowledge source in his field. The suspect was handed over to Unit 504 personnel, who specialize in interrogating prisoners and extracting information. This anonymous captive, whose name has not yet been released, is undoubtedly in possession of valuable information for IDF forces; Hezbollah’s naval unit is considered one of its most secretive, and there are few public reports on its capabilities, which have not yet been fully demonstrated in this war. Israel was already surprised by its capabilities during the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when a few days into the war, Hezbollah managed to hit the Israeli ship INS Hanit with a precise surface-to-sea missile, causing damage and killing four soldiers. The live-broadcasted strike, aired during a speech by Nasrallah, left a lasting impression on the minds of the Navy’s commanders and even led to the resignation of then-Commander David Ben-Ba’ashat.
Alongside this covert operation, the IDF continues its strong and overt ground activity in Lebanese villages near the Israeli border. In recent days, there have been reports of IDF operations in al-Khiam, a Lebanese village located northeast of Metula, approximately 5 kilometers from the Israeli border. In 2006, a disastrous entanglement occurred in the village when the 210th Division failed in its maneuvering efforts and had to return to Israel. This time, the effort seemed more successful, with minimal losses for the IDF and reports of the elimination of two Hezbollah company commanders in the sector.
