Israeli special forces operation triggers deadly clashes
Dozens of people have been killed in eastern Lebanon after Israeli special forces carried out a raid supported by heavy air strikes, according to Lebanese officials and local residents.
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The overnight operation took place in the town of Nabi Chit in the Bekaa Valley, an area where the Iran-backed group Hezbollah holds significant influence.
Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 41 people were killed and about 40 others injured in the attack. Among the dead were three members of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Local residents reported that civilians were also among those killed, including several children.
The Israeli military has not responded to requests for comment about the specific events in the town.
Mission linked to long-missing Israeli airman
Officials and local sources said the focus of the raid was to recover the remains of Ron Arad, an Israeli air force navigator who went missing during the 1986 Lebanon air force mission disappearance.
Arad disappeared in 1986 after ejecting from a damaged aircraft during a mission over Lebanon and has long been considered one of Israel’s most prominent missing servicemen.
Israeli governments have repeatedly vowed to determine his fate and recover his remains if possible.
According to Lebanese military officials, Israeli aircraft appeared near the border with Syria late on Friday night. Two of the aircraft reportedly landed and deployed special forces units while a wave of air strikes began simultaneously.
The Lebanese army said it placed its units on alert and fired illumination flares in an attempt to identify the landing area.
Heavy bombardment reported during withdrawal
Residents and Hezbollah officials said fierce fighting erupted in the streets of Nabi Chit after Israeli troops entered the town.
Local sources said Hezbollah fighters and armed residents surrounded the commandos, triggering intense clashes.
According to witnesses, Israel then launched a series of air strikes to allow the special forces unit to withdraw safely.
Hezbollah said around 40 air strikes were carried out in the area to provide cover for the extraction of the troops.
Witnesses described widespread destruction. A damaged vehicle was left riddled with bullet holes and stained with blood, while nearby buildings collapsed into rubble.
A large crater at the centre of the village suggested a powerful explosion had struck the area, damaging surrounding homes.
Among the debris were everyday items such as children’s books, cooking utensils and household belongings.
Allegations over disguise and vehicles
Several witnesses told reporters the Israeli soldiers had entered the town wearing Lebanese military uniforms.
Some also claimed the troops used ambulances marked with the logo of Hezbollah’s health organisation to move through the area.
The Lebanese army chief later confirmed to local media that soldiers appeared to be disguised in Lebanese military clothing.
The Israel Defense Forces has not responded to questions about those allegations.
Civilians caught in the fighting
Residents described chaotic scenes as the fighting unfolded.
Many civilians had evacuated earlier following Israeli warnings that the area could be targeted. But others remained behind, believing the strikes would be limited to specific buildings.
Mohamed Chokr said several members of his family were killed when their home was hit.
“My uncle is a retired soldier, his son is also a retired soldier and another son is a school teacher,” he said.
“We are not affiliated with any political party. We are Shia and we support Hezbollah but we are not members.”
He said another relative who arrived with a bulldozer to help rescue survivors from the rubble was also killed during the clashes.
Other residents gathered at the site of a large crater on Saturday as they tried to assess the damage and search for survivors.
“They bombed everything,” said Ali Shakur. “This is crazy.”
Another man said residents had evacuated their children but some adults stayed behind, assuming the attacks would resemble previous strikes.
“Usually they hit two or three houses,” he said. “But this time it was non-stop.”
Israel says mission part of wider campaign
The Israeli military later said it had conducted additional strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley overnight.
In a statement, the IDF said the attacks targeted weapons storage facilities and military infrastructure linked to Hezbollah.
Israel said it would continue operations aimed at dismantling the group’s military capabilities.
Across Lebanon, at least 294 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since Monday, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Family of missing pilot urges caution
The mission’s connection to Ron Arad’s disappearance has also drawn attention in Israel.
His widow, Tami Arad, urged Israeli leaders not to endanger soldiers’ lives in attempts to recover his remains.
“Our desire to know what happened to Ron stops as soon as there is risk to soldiers,” she wrote on social media.
“In our eyes, the sanctity of life comes before the commitment to return the remains of a fighter for burial.”
Despite the scale of the operation, residents in Nabi Chit said the raid had ultimately failed to locate the remains.
Some locals described the outcome as a victory for Hezbollah fighters who resisted the incursion.
“They came standing,” one resident said. “But we made them leave lying down.”
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 07.03 2026