Dozens killed as Israeli special forces raid Lebanese village in search of 40-year-old remains
Dozens Killed in Israeli Raid on Lebanese Village
The conflict with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, has intensified as Israeli forces launched a significant operation in the eastern Bekaa Valley, targeting a village to locate the remains of an Israeli airman missing for four decades. The attack resulted in at least 41 fatalities and 40 injuries, according to the Lebanese health ministry, with three soldiers among the deceased and civilian victims, including children, identified by local residents.
Destruction and Evidence of Conflict
Scenes of devastation unfolded in Nabi Chit, where bullet holes marred a damaged vehicle and bloodstained seats littered the ground. Buildings were reduced to rubble, and a massive crater disrupted the area, damaging nearby homes. Among the wreckage, items like a children’s coloring book and cooking utensils hinted at the civilian presence that was abruptly uprooted.
“They thought he was there but there was nothing,” a local man said, gesturing at an empty grave in the village cemetery.
Hezbollah, the dominant group in the region, allowed journalists to document the aftermath. The militia is classified as a terrorist organization by the UK, US, and other countries. The Lebanese military reported that four Israeli aircraft approached the Syrian border late Friday, two of which landed to deploy special forces. Aerial bombardment began simultaneously, triggering defensive measures with flare bombs to identify landing zones.
Clashes erupted on the streets as Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters engaged, with civilians also caught in the crossfire. A local official described the chaos: “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 surrounded them, leading to intense fighting, while air strikes intensified to extract the unit, causing widespread destruction.
Residents and evacuees gathered around the crater on Saturday to evaluate the damage. “They bombed everything. This is crazy,” said Ali Shakur, noting that the Israeli forces had assumed the area was empty. Another villager added that people had evacuated their children before the operation began, highlighting the suddenness of the assault.
Uncertain Allegations and Unanswered Questions
Witnesses claimed Israeli soldiers arrived disguised in Lebanese military uniforms and used ambulances with Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization markings. The Lebanese army chief confirmed this to local media, but the IDF has not responded to BBC inquiries. Mohamed Chokr, whose uncle and relatives were killed, emphasized their neutrality: “We are Shia and support Hezbollah, but we are not members. We are all in the Lebanese army.”
“How should I feel today? This is my uncle and his kids and their kids,” Chokr said, reflecting on the personal toll of the attack.
Another resident recounted that a relative, arriving in a bulldozer to rescue family members from rubble, was also killed during the fighting. The operation, conducted under evacuation orders, left many questioning the precision of the strikes and the extent of civilian casualties in the ongoing hostilities.
