Source The Hindu
BEIRUT – A daring overnight operation by Israeli special forces in eastern Lebanon has resulted in a significant loss of life, with Lebanese authorities reporting at least 41 people killed and dozens more wounded. The raid, centered on the town of Nabi Chit in the Bekaa Valley, was reportedly an attempt to recover the remains of an Israeli navigator missing for nearly 40 years.
Key Details of the Operation
According to Lebanese state media and security sources, the operation began late Friday night when four Israeli helicopters entered Lebanese airspace from the direction of Syria.
The Landing: Commandos were dropped in the rugged mountains surrounding Nabi Chit, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
The Search: Residents reported that Israeli troops entered a local cemetery and dug up a grave, searching for the remains of Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force navigator who disappeared after his jet crashed over Lebanon in 1986.
The Clash: Hezbollah fighters and local residents engaged the Israeli unit in a fierce firefight using light and medium weaponry.
The Withdrawal: To secure the extraction of the ground troops, Israeli warplanes and helicopters launched approximately 40 airstrikes on Nabi Chit and surrounding villages.
Rising Casualties
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health updated the death toll on Saturday, confirming that at least 41 people were killed and 40 others injured in the strikes and subsequent clashes.
“The series of raids launched by the Israeli enemy on Nabi Chit resulted in a preliminary total of 16 citizens being martyred, but the toll has since risen sharply as rescue teams reach the strike zones,” a ministry spokesperson stated.
The dead include at least three Lebanese Army soldiers and one member of the General Security Directorate, according to military sources.
Context: A Region on the Brink
This escalation occurs during the second week of a broader regional conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. Tensions have reached a boiling point following the reported assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which triggered a wave of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.
US Stance: President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on social media, stating that “Iran will be hit very hard today” and demanding “unconditional surrender.”
Iranian Response: President Masoud Pezeshkian has officially rejected the ultimatum, vowing that Iran will never surrender.
Lebanese Displacement: The UN reports that over 300,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since the recent hostilities began.
The Israeli military has not officially commented on the specifics of the Nabi Chit raid, though it confirmed that a “special force operation” was carried out to find clues regarding missing personnel.
