Israel has captured a senior member of the Jamaa Islamiya group, a Lebanese Sunni Islamist organization, in an overnight raid in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army said troops conducted a targeted operation in the Habbariyeh area, apprehending a senior terrorist from the group, identified as Atawi Atawi. He was transferred to Israel for questioning, and weapons were found at the location. The Jamaa Islamiya group has ties to Hamas and is considered an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. The group condemned the abduction, holding Israel responsible for Atawi’s safety.
The raid comes amidst ongoing tensions between Israel and Lebanon, with a US-brokered ceasefire in place since November 2024. Israel claims groups like Jamaa Islamiya are rebuilding their capacity in southern Lebanon, despite the truce. The incident highlights the fragile nature of the ceasefire and continued volatility along the Israel-Lebanon border.
