Lebanese security forces have arrested Ali Abbas Harisi on charges of spying for Israel, revealing a complex intelligence operation that targeted senior Hezbollah leadership. Harisi, whose brother was killed fighting for Hezbollah against Israel, allegedly received over $20,000 for providing critical intelligence that led to successful strikes against the organization's commanders.
According to Lebanese media reports, Harisi established contact with Israeli operatives while in Turkey before the current conflict. He was tasked with tracking Hezbollah leaders' movements and provided photographs of key figures, ultimately contributing to several precision strikes in southern Lebanon.
The arrest has caused significant upheaval within Lebanon's Hezbollah-affiliated communities, particularly given Harisi's family connections. In a public statement, the Harisi family denounced his actions and reaffirmed their allegiance to Hezbollah: "We declare our unequivocal rejection of all forms of conspiracy and betrayal, confirming our steadfast national and religious commitment to the resistance led by Hezbollah." The family revealed they had expelled him from their home over six years ago.
The incident has prompted Hezbollah to launch a comprehensive internal security review. Sources speaking to Reuters indicate the organization is now focused on three critical tasks: restructuring their organizational hierarchy, investigating security breaches that enabled Israeli targeting, and reviewing their technological vulnerabilities, particularly regarding communication systems that were compromised during recent operations.
This arrest comes amid a series of successful Israeli operations against Hezbollah leadership, including a recent strike that eliminated two operatives on a motorcycle in Al-Tiba, southern Lebanon.
The case highlights growing concerns within Hezbollah about Israeli intelligence penetration of their networks, particularly given the precision and effectiveness of incredibly successful recent operations.
Kikar HaShabbat contributed to this article.
0 Comments