A man identified as Khaled al-Aydi, a Palestinian refugee from Syria with Ukrainian citizenship, escaped from Hezbollah detention in Beirut's southern suburbs in March 2026 amid Israeli airstrikes and chaos. He made his way to the Ukrainian Embassy in the Baabda district, where he disappeared inside.
Lebanese officials allege al-Aydi was part of a thwarted Israeli intelligence plot to carry out bombings and assassinations, including targeting events for the one-year commemoration of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's death. The Ukrainian Embassy requested Lebanese authorities facilitate his departure, but Lebanon's General Security refused due to a judicial warrant issued in September 2025.
Al-Aydi is believed to have fled Lebanon, possibly to Syria, though his current whereabouts remain unknown. The case has heightened tensions between the Lebanese government and Hezbollah, as the government faces scrutiny for negotiating directly with Israel amid ongoing conflict.
Hezbollah has cracked down on alleged spy networks, convicting about 50 people, but al-Aydi's escape underscores the group's vulnerability to Israeli intelligence operations. Israel has cultivated extensive spy networks in Lebanon, using human and high-tech surveillance, including the 2024 pager and walkie-talkie attacks that killed at least 37 people.
The incident highlights the complex spy game between Israel and Hezbollah, with implications for Lebanon's political stability.