Dozens Killed As Israeli Special Forces Raid Lebanese Village In Search Of Missing Airman
News Updated: 07 March 2026 23:07 EAT
Photo Credit:EURO NEWS
At least 41 people were killed and around 40 others injured after Israeli forces carried out a major overnight operation in eastern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
The raid involved Israeli special forces supported by airstrikes targeting the village of Nabi Chit in the Bekaa Valley, an area believed to have links to the disappearance of Israeli air force navigator Ron Arad.
Arad went missing in 1986 after ejecting from a malfunctioning aircraft during a mission over Lebanon while serving with the Israeli Air Force. He was reportedly captured by local fighters shortly after landing, and his fate has remained unknown for nearly four decades.
Israeli forces have repeatedly conducted intelligence operations over the years in an effort to determine what happened to the missing navigator or recover his remains.
During the latest mission, Israeli helicopters reportedly inserted special forces near a cemetery in Nabi Chit where intelligence suggested Arad’s remains could have been buried.
Local residents and fighters from the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah reportedly discovered the operation, triggering intense clashes between Israeli commandos and local fighters.
Witnesses said heavy gunfire erupted in the village before Israeli aircraft launched multiple airstrikes to support the withdrawal of the ground forces.
Lebanese authorities said the bombardment and fighting caused widespread destruction in parts of the town and surrounding areas.
The Lebanese health ministry reported that at least 41 people were killed during the operation, while dozens of others were wounded.
Among those reported killed were civilians and members of Lebanese security forces, although the exact breakdown of casualties has not been fully confirmed.
Israeli officials later acknowledged that a special operation had taken place inside Lebanon but said the mission did not produce new information about the fate of the missing airman.
The operation is considered one of the deepest Israeli incursions into Lebanese territory in recent years and comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and armed groups in Lebanon.
Analysts say the raid highlights the continued significance of the decades-long search for Ron Arad while also reflecting the growing regional tensions involving Israel, Hezbollah and their allies.
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FELIX MAKONA
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