Israeli naval forces captured a high-ranking Hezbollah operative in northern Lebanon, as the conflict between the Iran-backed group and Israel showed little sign of easing.

An Israeli military official said in a statement that IDF forces captured a “senior Hezbollah operative” and took him back to Israel for investigation by military intelligence.

Axios media quoted Israeli sources as saying that the captured man is called Imad Amhaz and is allegedly responsible for Hezbollah’s naval operations.

Two Lebanese military officials confirmed that a naval force landed in Batroun, about 30 kilometers north of the capital Beirut, and abducted a Lebanese citizen.

The operation marks the first time Israel has announced it has deployed troops to northern Lebanon to take a senior Hezbollah operative captive since the conflict between the two sides escalated in late September.

Hezbollah issued a statement describing what happened as a “Zionist aggression in the Batroun area”. The statement did not elaborate or confirm whether a Hezbollah member was captured by Israel.

Shortly after Israel went public with the operation, interim Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked Lebanon’s foreign minister to file a complaint against Israel with the UN Security Council.

Narrating the event, Lebanese residents of the apartment block where the man was captured said the armed group posed as state security.

“We were terrified. They broke into the apartment next to ours,” said Hussein Delbani.

“I thought a government agency was doing a security operation.”

Kandice Ardiel, spokeswoman for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, denied allegations by local journalists who said the peacekeepers helped the Israeli landing force in the operation.

“Disinformation and false rumors are irresponsible and endanger peacekeepers,” Ardiel said.

Cross-border fire

Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged fire almost daily since the Gaza war began last October.

Hezbollah is ideologically aligned with the militant group Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah says its attacks on Israel are in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The year-long cross-border fighting, which has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border, erupted into all-out war on October 1 when Israeli forces launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon for the first time since 2006.

It is estimated that up to 15,000 IDF soldiers have been deployed to Lebanon.