Arrest of 'Key Israeli Spy' Among Hezbollah Leadership

Lebanese media have reported the arrest of one of the 'most important Mossad spies' within the ranks of Hezbollah, stating that this individual was responsible for thwarting many 'planned operations by Hezbollah against Israeli interests worldwide.' According to Lebanese media, this person was the head of the security guard for Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, and the commander of the organization's external branch. The 'Mossad spy,' identified as 'Mohammad Shorbeh,' was previously considered one of the 'most trusted operatives' by Nasrallah. Reports indicate that four other accomplices of Shorbeh, who collaborated with him in the external branch of Hezbollah, have also been identified and arrested as individuals who aided Shorbeh in betraying Hezbollah. Lebanese media state that Hezbollah forces arrested Shorbeh 'in a foreign country,' though the name of this country has not been disclosed. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has not issued an official statement regarding this incident. The Daily Star of Lebanon reported that Hezbollah has tried Shorbeh in its 'internal court,' but no information about his fate has been released. According to Lebanese media reports, Hezbollah had designed plans to strike Israel, especially in the Far East, in retaliation for the blood of Imad Mughniyeh, its senior intelligence officer killed in a bombing in Damascus in February 2008, but most of these plans were not executed due to Shorbeh's 'betrayal.' Lebanese media have reported that Shorbeh was involved in the attack that led to the killing of Hassan al-Laqis, a senior Hezbollah commander. Al-Laqis was killed in December 2013 with a silenced weapon in the parking lot of his home in the 'Hadath' neighborhood in southern Beirut. The American newspaper Boston Globe reported on Sunday, December 30, that Shorbeh had been serving Israel years before his identification and arrest. Lebanese media say that the Mossad recruited Shorbeh during his travels to the Far East. They consider Mohammad Shorbeh responsible for the external branch of Hezbollah and state that following the exposure of the dimensions of Shorbeh's activities, Hezbollah has 'temporarily dissolved' this branch. Two summers ago, India, Thailand, and Azerbaijan reported thwarting plans designed to attack Israeli and Jewish interests; Israel identified Iran and Hezbollah as the planners of these attacks. Cyprus also reported at that time the arrest of individuals linked to Hezbollah and their trial for attempting to kill Israeli tourists. The Bulgarian government officially identified Hezbollah as the perpetrator of a bombing attack on an Israeli tourist bus in Burgas in the summer of 2012. Hassan Nasrallah, for whom Shorbeh was the chief protector, has lived in hiding since the beginning of the Israel-Hezbollah war in the summer of 2006 and has only appeared on rare occasions, such as during Shiite religious events, surrounded by dozens of bodyguards in front of his supporters. Hezbollah claims that Israel is still seeking revenge against Nasrallah for the abduction of Israeli soldiers in June 2006, which led to a 34-day war.