Hezbollah says it caught Iraqi man spying for Israel in Lebanon
Local media reports say agent was tasked with providing info on Lebanese army and enlisting other spies
Lebanese media claimed Saturday that an Iraqi citizen was arrested in the country on suspicion of spying for Israel, quoting a statement by the Hezbollah terror group.
Following his arrest, the Iraqi citizen confessed to having passed intelligence to Israel, according to reports in the El Nashra online newspaper and the Al-Mayadeen news network.
The reports said the Iraqi man confessed to having been enlisted by an officer from an intelligence agency linked to the Israeli Defense Ministry.
He allegedly admitted that he was asked by Israel to provide information on the Lebanese army and Lebanese government officials, as well as to enlist other operatives to setup a spy network in Lebanon.
The Iraqi citizen also reportedly said that his brother in Iraq was passing information to Israel relating to the Iraqi government.
Following the arrest of the Iraqi man, who will be put on trial for spying for Israel, Lebanese security forces were attempting to track down any other operatives linked to the spying cell, the reports said.
In January, Lebanese security officials said they had apprehended an Israeli spy cell operating in the country, which they said was comprised of a Lebanese citizen, a Palestinian refugee and two Nepalese women.
Lebanese officials claimed the five had confessed to the accusations, and had confirmed providing information to Israeli officials in phone calls to embassies in Turkey, Jordan, Nepal and the UK.
Lebanon has also claimed to uncover Israeli spying efforts in the past.
