As tensions in West Asia continue to rise, Lebanon said on Saturday it will file a complaint with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after Israel kidnapped a Lebanese citizen. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) argued that the Lebanese citizen they kidnapped was a Hezbollah agent.

The man was kidnapped on Friday in a suspected Israeli naval operation in Batroun, about 30 kilometers north of Beirut. Lebanese authorities maintained that the kidnapped man was a ship captain and denied that he was a Hezbollah agent. Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s office issued a statement on the matter stating that the Lebanese prime minister ordered his Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib to file a complaint with the UN over the kidnapping.

The statement said Mikati had contacted Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun for information about the ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the case. The Prime Minister also contacted the command of the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL), which confirmed that it is carrying out the necessary investigations and coordinating with the army on this matter.

What we know so far

In Saturday’s statement, Mikati emphasized the need to “expedite investigations to clarify the circumstances of this case and put things right.” Meanwhile, several media reports named the abductee as Imad Amhaz. “Israeli forces continued to call him an “important source of knowledge” in the Iranian-backed militant group’s naval force.”

According The times of IsraelAmhaz was brought to Israel for questioning by the Directorate of Military Intelligence’s Unit 504, which specializes in HUMINT, or human intelligence, about Hezbollah’s naval operations.

While speaking to a Lebanese media outlet, Ali Hamie, the country’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, stated that Amhaz was a captain of civilian ships and was studying at a civilian naval institute. Images posted on social media showed Amhaz in what appeared to be a navy blue uniform.

Amid the chaos, the IDF confirmed on Saturday that around 2,000 Hezbollah operatives have been killed by ground troops and in airstrikes since the start of the ground offensive in southern Lebanon a month ago. Israeli forces have intensified the air campaign in Lebanon since late September against what they claim are Hezbollah targets in an escalation of the year-long cross-border war between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Israel’s brutal war in Lebanon. Gaza Strip.

With contributions from the agencies.