A suspected Hezbollah operative has been arrested by Peru’s Counter-Terrorism Unit in the capital Lima, on suspicion of planning a terror attack against Israeli targets in the country.

28-year-old Mohammed Amadar, a Lebanese citizen, was apprehended at his home in the Surquillo neighbourhood, where the Israeli embassy is situated. Authorities found traces of TNT, detonators and other flammable substances in Amadar’s home plus mobile phones and memory cards.  Peru’s Interior Minister Daniel Urresti said that the suspect has links to an “international terror organisation.”

Peruvian newspaper La Republica reports that Israeli intelligence informed their Peruvian counterparts about Amadar’s entry into the country and his intention to carry out an attack. He was subsequently placed under surveillance by Peruvian authorities. According to media reports, Amadar and his wife did not work and received money via Western Union, a favoured method of funding by Hezbollah.

There was no comment from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister’s Office or other official sources. However, an unnamed Israeli security official told Ynet, “A Hezbollah operative was arrested in Peru after he started building an infrastructure for terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in Peru.” The country is a popular travel destination for Israelis.

Hezbollah is known to have an international network of operatives which has previously targeted Israelis. A Bulgarian investigation found Hezbollah responsible for a bus bomb in the Bulgarian resort of Burgas which killed five Israeli tourists in July 2012. Meanwhile, in March last year, a Cypriot court convicted a Hezbollah operative with dual Swedish-Lebanese nationality of helping plan an attack on Israeli tourists on the island.

Earlier this week, Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, the outgoing IDF Head of Northern Command told Army Radio that the threat to Israel from Hezbollah is far greater than the threat posed by Hamas. He warned that “a clash in the North will not look like a clash in the South. There will be many more hits to the home front.”