Shock in Lebanon: Did a beloved, Hezbollah-affiliated singer work as an Israeli Mossad mole?

In the land of the cedars, a semblance of normality is slowly returning after last year’s brief but intense war between Hezbollah and Israel. The new Lebanese government, formed despite the terror group’s objections, continues to try and convince Hezbollah to disarm while preventing a civil war.

Meanwhile, the group has stepped up efforts to find collaborators and moles who enabled Israel’s shocking intelligence penetration, which led to the almost complete decapitation of Hezbollah’s leadership within only months.

Last week, Mohammad Hadi al-Saleh, a well-known Lebanese singer, was swept up in this effort and arrested under charges of having spied for Israel.

Saleh is a well-known singer of Shia Muslim background, and the Saudi al-Hadath channel even reported that his father is a Hezbollah commander, while his brother was a Hezbollah fighter and was killed during the recent fighting.

According to the Lebanese newspaper L’Orient LeJour, Saleh’s case is now being prosecuted by the “first military investigative judge.”

The singer was initially arrested several weeks ago for connections to financial scams, but then, indications found on his phone revealed possible collaboration with the Israeli Mossad, and even more shockingly, complicity in murder in exchange for money.

According to several Saudi and Lebanese reports, Saleh is said to have had major debts and received some $23,000 for various information sent to the Mossad.

He reportedly claimed to have been a Hezbollah member and offered information about Hezbollah leaders and senior figures, using his family ties to gather intelligence.

Saleh is said to have transmitted the locations of Hezbollah command centers, the exact type of motorcycles used by Hezbollah fighters, and the names of new commanders who replaced those killed by Israel.

"Meanwhile, Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, told Egyptian media that he intends to continue efforts to bring all weapons 'into the hands of the state' – a common euphemism for the disarmament of Hezbollah, whose military strength is still considered greater than that of the official Lebanese Armed Forces.

“This issue cannot be limited by time. It's true that we need to act quickly, but not in haste, and this is what governs our thinking,” he explained, reiterating that this process would be pursued “through dialogue between the Lebanese factions.”

Aoun also criticized Israel for demanding the disarmament of Hezbollah before withdrawing the IDF troops currently stationed on five outposts on Lebanese territory.

“We say – no! Withdraw, and allow the Lebanese army to do what is required of it. In southern Lebanon, the army is already doing what is required of it,” he said.