Lebanese security forces have arrested a Yemeni national in Beirut on charges of spying for Israel’s Mossad, in a case that marks a shift in Israeli intelligence targets from Hezbollah to the Iran-backed Houthi movement.

According to a judicial source cited by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the suspect was taken into custody last week in the Lebanese capital, where he had been staying in a hotel for the past two months. His arrest was prompted by an incident at the Yemeni embassy in Beirut, where he attempted to meet the ambassador under the pretext of seeking employment in order to remain in Lebanon.

Embassy guards, who had no prior record of his name, denied him entry. A confrontation ensued during which the man allegedly insulted the guards, leading to his temporary detention and the confiscation of his mobile phone.

Upon inspecting the device, embassy staff reportedly discovered repeated communications with Israeli phone numbers. The embassy immediately informed Lebanon’s Military Public Prosecution, which ordered the man’s arrest.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to working for Mossad and said he had been tasked with gathering information about the activities of Houthi leaders in both Lebanon and Yemen. He claimed to be originally from Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, and said Israeli operatives approached him after his arrival in Beirut.

The source said the suspect admitted to being in direct contact with Israeli handlers during periods when Israel was carrying out strikes against Yemen. He reportedly expressed satisfaction over the attacks, citing the hardship the Houthis have inflicted on Yemen since seizing power from the internationally recognized government.

The man also told investigators that he operated independently and was not part of a wider espionage ring.

Following preliminary investigations, the Military Public Prosecution charged the suspect with “communicating with the Israeli enemy, spying for Israel on Lebanese territory, and supplying it with information harmful to state security.” He has been referred to the military investigative judge for further questioning.