The alleged senior Hezbollah operative abducted by Israeli special forces last week in Batroun may have been operating as a double agent, according to a report by The Telegraph.

Imad Ahmaz was seized from an apartment in the northern coastal city in a dramatic raid executed by Israel's elite naval unit, Shayetet 13. The mission, reportedly launched from the Mediterranean Sea, saw at least a dozen commandos involved in Ahmaz's capture, who was then transferred to Israel for interrogation.

A senior Lebanese political figure opposed to Hezbollah told The Telegraph that "signs point to the fact that Ahmaz could have been a double agent," but also noted his involvement in maritime smuggling and financing. This could make him a "valuable asset to Israel," the source added, suggesting his potential value in intelligence may explain why he was captured alive.

The raid’s unusual nature has raised questions among intelligence experts regarding Ahmaz’s possible role as a double agent.

Ronen Solomon, an Israeli analyst with expertise in Hezbollah’s operations, told The Telegraph that the operation’s approach differed markedly from recent Israeli missions targeting Hezbollah members.

Items reportedly found in Ahmaz's room, such as multiple passports, SIM cards from various countries, and an old Nokia phone, point to possible espionage activities, Solomon noted. Ahmaz may have been operating as a key player in Hezbollah’s arms and electronics transportation network, supporting anti-Israel operations. However, Solomon added that Ahmaz’s prominent position might also have allowed Israel to recruit him as a double agent, suggesting his extraction was intended to secure his safety outside Lebanon.

Further complicating the case, Ahmaz’s family business, Stars Group Holding, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2014 for alleged illicit activities, including transporting communications devices to Hezbollah in Lebanon through channels in China and the UAE. Solomon suggested that Ahmaz could have leveraged his family’s telecommunications resources for covert operations.

“Ahmaz maybe recruited the family for this kind of operation,” Solomon added.

An anonymous Israeli security source echoed Solomon’s analysis, noting that certain items found in Ahmaz’s room—particularly USB drives potentially containing critical data—were "as interesting as the abduction itself."

“Things like USBs that were left with maybe critical data on which could have helped Israel. You have to ask why they were left behind when such operations in Gaza saw all pieces of intelligence retrieved at the same time,” the source said.

In another twist, the source remarked that CCTV footage from Ahmaz’s location had been left intact.

"It’s unusual," the source said, "unless someone wanted it to be recorded."

This detail has led to further speculation that the operation was intended to be publicly observed, either as a message to Hezbollah or as a signal of Israel’s ongoing interest in extracting valuable assets in Lebanon.