BEIRUT: A preliminary probe found that Israeli commandos used a speedboat equipped with radar-jamming devices to abduct a Lebanese man accused of being a Hezbollah operative, a Lebanese judicial official told AFP Tuesday.
The initial findings suggest that “the Israeli army used a high-speed vessel equipped with advanced devices capable of jamming radars” belonging to the United Nations peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) that monitors the Lebanese coast, the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
The probe into the abduction operation on Saturday is jointly conducted by the Lebanese police and judiciary.
The UN peacekeeping Maritime Task Force has helped Lebanon’s army monitor territorial waters and prevent the entry of arms or related material by sea since 2006, according to the mission’s website.
Germany has headed UNIFIL’s maritime taskforce since January 2021.
On Saturday, Israeli naval commandos seized a trainee mariner that a military official described as a “senior operative” of Hezbollah in a raid in northern Lebanon and brought him to Israel for questioning.
An acquaintance of the abductee identified him as Imad Amhaz.
The man in his thirties was studying to become a sea captain at the Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute (MARSATI) in Batroun, Lebanon’s primary training college for the shipping industry.
Lebanese authorities “cannot probe UNIFIL forces or request they provide information or footage captured by their radars because they have immunity,” the judicial official said.
The official called the abduction “a war crime that violated national sovereignty” because it involved the kidnapping of a Lebanese citizen in an area far from the fighting.
Israel escalated its air raids on Hezbollah strongholds in south Lebanon, Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley on September 23, after nearly a year of cross-border fire. A week later it sent in ground troops to southern Lebanon.
At least 3,002 people have been killed in Lebanon since clashes between Hezbollah and Israel began last October, the health ministry said, including at least 1,964 since September 23, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Lebanon official says Israeli commandos jammed UNIFIL radar in abduction operation
https://arab.news/nccj7
Lebanon official says Israeli commandos jammed UNIFIL radar in abduction operation
- The initial findings suggest that “the Israeli army used a high-speed vessel equipped with advanced devices capable of jamming radars” belonging to the UNIFIL
- The probe into the abduction operation on Saturday is jointly conducted by the Lebanese police and judiciary
Syria announces new currency framework, 2-zero redenomination
- Under the plan, every 100 Syrian pounds will be converted into one unit of the new Syrian Arab Republic’s pound
- Governor calls move ‘pivotal milestone within a comprehensive strategy’
DAMASCUS: Syria’s Central Bank announced executive instructions on Sunday to introduce a new Syrian currency, launching a monetary reform that includes removing two zeros from the pound and allowing a 90-day period of dual circulation.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the bank’s headquarters in Damascus.
Central Bank Gov. Abdulkader Husrieh said the step was part of a comprehensive institutional strategy to restore confidence and achieve sustainable economic stability.
He said: “The launch of the new currency is not a formal measure, but a pivotal milestone within a comprehensive strategy based on solid institutional foundations.”
Under the plan, every 100 Syrian pounds will be converted into one unit of the new Syrian Arab Republic’s pound. The old and new currencies will circulate together for 90 days, a period which may be extended.
All bank balances will be converted to the new currency at the beginning of next year, while the overall money supply will be maintained without increase or reduction.
Husrieh said the economic strategy was based on five pillars: monetary stability, a stable and transparent foreign-exchange market, effective and accountable financial institutions, secure digital transformation, and balanced international economic relations.
He said the move required updating financial laws and regulations, improving data systems, keeping pace with global digital developments, and ensuring sustainable financing and training for the financial sector.
The currency exchange will be provided free of charge, with no commissions, fees, or taxes.
All public and private entities must apply the official conversion standard to prices, salaries, wages, and financial obligations. Official exchange-rate bulletins will be issued in both currencies to ensure transparency and prevent speculation.
The governor said the central bank was closely monitoring markets to stabilize the exchange rate and would supply Syrian pounds if demand for foreign currency rises, adding that citizens will feel the impact more clearly after the exchange process is completed.
“Our policy is financial discipline, with no room for inflation,” Husrieh added.
He confirmed that the decree regulating the exchange limits the process to Syrian territory, and said the measures fell within the bank’s 2026-2030 strategy to align with international standards.
The new banknotes, he added, were being printed by leading international companies to prevent counterfeiting.
