When Israeli fighter jets attacked the southern districts of Beirut back in March and people ran away fearfully, one individual saw his chance. In the midst of the turmoil, he escaped from captivity within a Hezbollah detention facility and headed toward the lush hills above the Lebanese capital.
He vanished within the walls of the Ukrainian Embassy, located in the upscale diplomatic area of Baabda.
His current location remains unknown, entangled in an active espionage conflict as Hezbollah strives to uncover Israeli intelligence agents who have embedded themselves within the organization.
A person recognized by Lebanese authorities as Khaled al-Aydi is reportedly a Palestinian refugee originally from Syria, additionally holding Ukrainian nationality. He was captured by Hezbollah in the outskirts of Beirut and charged by Lebanese officials with involvement in an unsuccessful Israeli intelligence operation aimed at conducting explosions and killings.
Information about Al-Aydi's escape and a Lebanese military court's proceedings against him was shared by three legal sources and two high-ranking security officials from Lebanon, who requested anonymity as they were not permitted to speak openly. A top political figure within Hezbollah also disclosed some information.
The vanishing of Al-Aydi might carry political consequences for the Lebanese administration, which has mostly stayed quiet regarding this matter.
Should proof arise that al-Aydi left Lebanon with assistance from the government, it might heighten conflicts among Hezbollah's primarily Shia Muslim supporters. The administration is currently under examination for engaging in direct talks with Israel, which has been involved in intense clashes with Hezbollah since the beginning of the Iran conflict.
The Ukrainian embassy requested Lebanese officials in March to assist al-Aydi in leaving the nation following his escape from Hezbollah custody, as stated in a Lebanese government report acquired by The Associated Press. However, Lebanon's General Security department declined, citing an arrest warrant issued against him in September 2025, according to the record.
The Israeli Mossad intelligence organization did not provide a statement. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also chose not to make any comments.
An official from Ukraine familiar with the matter stated that al-Aydi is not located at the Ukrainian Embassy or within its premises in Lebanon. The individual, speaking under the condition of anonymity due to the delicate nature of the circumstances, did not reveal al-Aydi’s current location—and to ensure the safety of Ukraine's embassy and its staff—did not confirm whether al-Aydi had previously been inside the embassy or if Ukraine assisted his departure.
Israel's intelligence networks
By employing both human intelligence and advanced technological monitoring, Israel has developed extensive information-gathering systems within Lebanon. This has enabled it to conduct significant actions targeting Hezbollah.
One of the most complex examples involved Israel disrupting Hezbollah's logistics network by sending the Iran-aligned guerrilla organization thousands of explosive-enabled pagers and radios. In September 2024, Israel triggered these gadgets from afar, resulting in the deaths of at least 37 individuals. A few days after this incident, Israeli air strikes led to the death of Hezbollah’s long-time commander, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, as he remained concealed within a well-protected underground facility.
Long before that, according to Nicholas Blanford, an specialist on the organization at the Atlantic Council, Israel's intelligence capabilities against Hezbollah enabled it to target the group's top leaders and operational commanders with considerable simplicity.
Following the 2024 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, both Hezbollah and Lebanese government agencies have intensified efforts against suspected espionage activities. Approximately 50 individuals have been found guilty and are currently incarcerated, with additional cases still being examined by legal authorities.
Many espionage networks were successfully identified, and the state achieved success in this area as well," stated Hezbollah's political figure Wafiq Safa. However, he added, "the Israelis continue to attempt recruiting young Lebanese individuals from every community.
Al-Aydi does not match the description of other suspected agents
Numerous suspected espionage organizations have included present or ex-Hezbollah affiliates or people connected to the organization through familial relationships.
Al-Aydi, on the other hand, was considered an outsider. He held Ukrainian nationality via his mother, as stated in a Lebanon government document acquired by AP. The exact manner in which he was supposedly recruited by Israel remains unknown.
Millions of Syrians sought shelter in Lebanon throughout Syria's 14-year conflict. However, Al-Aydi arrived in the country in August 2025 via a flight from Ethiopia, according to a Lebanese security official.
Although Hezbollah originated in the 1980s as a minor insurgent activity opposing Israel's control over south Lebanon, it significantly grew following its conflict with Israel in 2006, according to Blanford, which made it "more vulnerable to Israeli infiltration." The group’s involvement in the Syrian civil war also increased its visibility, as recruitment criteria became less strict, he added.
The economic downturn in Lebanon also helped Israel with its recruiting activities, according to Blanford.
Military courts in Lebanon have received cases where individuals reportedly received payments ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 for supplying information about Hezbollah’s weapon storage sites and political locations. According to legal authorities, several of these suspected informants were approached by Israeli representatives via online platforms.
A notable case involved Mohammad Hadi Saleh, a musician and well-known religious entertainer associated with groups linked to Hezbollah. In May 2025, he was detained and accused of supplying the Mossad with maps and locations of significant Hezbollah facilities that were subsequently targeted in Israeli actions. He remains incarcerated pending his trial.
"It's ironic that they (Hezbollah) spent considerable time accusing their rivals of being Israeli agents, only for it to emerge that the spies were actually among their own members and supporters," stated Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut.
Continued recruitment activities are taking place. In the most recent conflict, Israel distributed pamphlets across Lebanon containing QR codes, which the Lebanese Army claims lead individuals to an Israeli military unit responsible for enlisting informants.
It is believed that Al-Aydi has left the country.
In October, Lebanon's General Security stated that they had dismantled a group organizing bombings and killings within the country, including an operation aimed at attacking events marking the first anniversary of Nasrallah's passing. Officials from both security and judicial sectors reported that authorities found a motorcycle equipped with explosives and a vehicle altered to carry explosive materials.
Al-Aydi and five others, all from Lebanon, faced charges. Among the group, one managed to flee, while the rest remain incarcerated in a Lebanese prison pending their trial, according to legal authorities. Al-Aydi alone was detained by Hezbollah, probably due to his perceived importance as a significant target.
A military tribunal claims the operation was organized by an agent from Mossad based in Germany, who coordinated with others using secure messaging apps. A notice was sent to the Ukrainian embassy but remained unacknowledged.
Safa mentioned that there had been a failed effort to transport al-Aydi from Lebanon to Syria. He provided no further details.
Two high-ranking Lebanese security sources stated that al-Aydi is thought to have exited the nation. It remains uncertain if he entered Syria, as authorities there mentioned they have no details regarding his whereabouts.
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The relationship between the Lebanese administration and Hezbollah is currently at its lowest level. The government expressed frustration over the armed organization's independent choice to initiate yet another conflict with Israel, whereas Hezbollah is upset that the government opted for talks aimed at achieving a truce and possibly broader security and political arrangements with Israel.
The flight of Al-Aydi might heighten conflicts and place the Lebanese government in a challenging position.
If the Lebanese government denied al-Aydi permission to depart the nation, Hage Ali stated, the United States and Ukraine would be "strongly placed to apply considerable influence" to obtain his freedom. Conversely, should the state appear to have allowed al-Aydi to flee, it might encounter "widespread public frustration," mainly from Lebanese Shiites who support Hezbollah, which could exploit this sentiment to heighten domestic conflicts, according to him.