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
A significant number of civilians were killed in Lebanon during major Israeli air and ground strikes, as the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah intensifies. Overnight, an Israeli operation in the eastern Bekaa Valley town of Nabi Chit resulted in at least 41 deaths and 40 injuries, reported by the Lebanese health ministry. Among the casualties were three Lebanese soldiers, with local residents identifying civilians, including children, as also being killed.
The mission’s objective was to locate the remains of an Israeli military airman who disappeared in Lebanon 40 years ago. On Saturday, a hole was found in the village cemetery where a grave had been dug up, but it yielded no results. “They thought he was there but there was nothing,” said a local man, pointing at the empty grave.
Elsewhere in the town, bullet holes marked the wreckage of a car, its seats stained with blood. The surrounding area showed signs of heavy damage, with buildings reduced to rubble and a large crater formed, affecting nearby homes. Civilian items, such as a children’s coloring book and cooking utensils, were scattered among the ruins.
Hezbollah’s role and destruction
Hezbollah, the dominant group in the region, permitted journalists to enter the village to document the extent of the damage. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by the UK, US, and others. The Lebanese military reported observing four Israeli aircraft near the Syrian border late Friday, with two landing and deploying special forces. At the same time, a “large-scale aerial bombardment” commenced, according to the military.
Local units took immediate defensive action, using flare bombs to pinpoint the landing site. Clashes erupted on the streets between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters, as well as civilians protecting their homes. “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,” explained a local official at the scene of a major explosion.
The resistance surrounded the unit, leading to intense fighting. Air strikes intensified to facilitate the extraction of Israeli troops, causing extensive damage. Hezbollah and residents claimed Israel launched around 40 airstrikes to support the operation and aid the withdrawal of its forces.
Witnesses told the BBC that Israeli soldiers arrived in Lebanese military uniforms and used ambulances bearing the Islamic Health Organization’s insignia. The Lebanese army chief later confirmed this to local media, though the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond to BBC inquiries about the claim.
The village was under an Israeli evacuation order, and locals reported another call for civilians to leave their homes shortly before the attack. Mohamed Chokr, whose uncle and other relatives were among the victims, stated: “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.”
“How should I feel today? This is my uncle and his kids and their kids,” he added.
Another relative arrived in a bulldozer to rescue the family from rubble but was also killed in the crossfire. Locals who were present during the operation, or who had stayed elsewhere, gathered around the crater on Saturday to assess the damage and reflect on the events. “They bombed everything. This is crazy,” said Ali Shakur. “I think they were surprised by who was here because when they bombed they thought that everyone had evacuated.”
A man in the village noted that people had evacuated their children earlier, raising questions about the target’s intent and the impact on civilian life.
