Dozens killed as Israeli special forces raid Lebanese village in search of 40-year-old remains
Dozens killed as Israeli special forces raid Lebanese village in search of 40-year-old remains
Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel has intensified, leading to a fresh wave of casualties in Lebanon following major air and ground strikes. In a recent operation, Israeli forces targeted the eastern Bekaa Valley town of Nabi Chit, where at least 41 people lost their lives and 40 others were injured, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Among the fatalities were three military personnel, while local residents identified civilians, including children, as victims.
The operation centered on locating the remains of an Israeli airman who disappeared in Lebanon decades ago. In the village cemetery, a grave was unearthed, but it contained no body. A local man described the scene, pointing to the empty spot and saying,
“They thought he was there but there was nothing.”
Nearby, a car lay in ruins, its seats stained with blood, and bullet holes littered the area. Buildings around the village had collapsed into rubble, with a massive crater damaging nearby homes.
Hezbollah, the primary group in the region, permitted journalists to document the destruction. The Shia militia is designated as a terrorist organization by the UK, US, and other nations. The Lebanese military reported observing four Israeli aircraft near the Syria border late Friday, with two landing and deploying troops. A “large-scale aerial bombardment” followed, prompting the army to take immediate defensive actions using flare bombs.
Clashes erupted between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters, as well as civilians. A local official recounted,
“At midnight, we felt a strange movement on one side of the village. It turned out to be an Israeli commando unit deployed for some mission.”
The resistance encircled the unit, leading to intense street battles. Israeli air strikes intensified, aiding the extraction of forces and causing widespread damage.
Residents claimed Israel launched around 40 airstrikes to support the operation and enable the withdrawal of troops. Witnesses reported Israeli soldiers arriving in Lebanese military uniforms, using ambulances marked with Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization insignia. The Lebanese army chief later validated this to local media, though the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declined to comment on the claim.
Evacuation orders had been in place for the village, and a final call for civilians to leave their homes was issued before the attack. Mohamed Chokr, whose uncle and others were killed, shared his family’s experience:
“My uncle is a retired soldier, his son is also a retired soldier and his other son is a school teacher. We are not affiliated with any political party. We are Shia – we like Hezbollah, but we are not members of Hezbollah. We are all in the Lebanese army.”
He expressed anguish over the loss, calling it a personal tragedy. Another relative, attempting to rescue family members from rubble, also fell victim to crossfire.
Local residents, both those present during the operation and those who had evacuated, gathered to examine the aftermath. Ali Shakur, a villager, remarked,
“They bombed everything. This is crazy.”
He suggested the strikes may have caught people off guard, as the Israeli forces assumed all civilians had left. Another man noted that people had evacuated their children in anticipation of the attack.
