Damage caused by Israeli strikes on Nabi Chit in the Bekaa. Photo provided by our correspondent Sarah Abdallah.
This was likely one of the most unexpected, and among the deadliest, Israeli operations in the Bekaa Valley since the latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
After shelling the village of Nabi Sheet (Baalbeck district), the Israeli army carried out a nighttime commando operation from Friday to Saturday, landing troops by helicopter in what local media reported was an attempt to recover the remains of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who has been missing in Lebanon since 1986.
The information was first reported by the Lebanese daily Annahar and later picked up by Israeli outlet Kan News.
In a statement published Saturday, Hezbollah said its fighters “observed, at 10:30 p.m. Friday, the landing of four Israeli army helicopters coming from the Syrian side.” According to the statement, the helicopters landed an infantry unit in the highlands where the areas of Yahfoufa, Khreibeh and Maareboun meet.
The force then moved toward the eastern neighborhood of Nabi Sheet, the area of the Shukur family. “Upon arriving near the cemetery at 11:30 p.m., they were engaged by a group of Islamic Resistance fighters, who opened fire with light and medium weapons,” Hezbollah said.
The Iran-backed group added that the Israeli army then launched “intense barrages of fire,” deploying fighter jets and helicopters to cover the force’s withdrawal, while “Resistance artillery targeted the outskirts of the area and the retreat route.” According to the statement, residents of nearby villages also joined in providing supporting fire.
The Lebanese Army said in a statement that its units detected four Israeli helicopters flying over the Khreibeh area near the Syrian border around 10:50 p.m. Two of the aircraft landed an Israeli force while heavy airstrikes targeted surrounding villages. The army said it fired flares to illuminate the landing zone, while the Israeli unit had already left the site.
According to the statement, exchanges of fire later took place between Israeli forces and residents of the area, while intense airstrikes and sweeping operations continued until about 3 a.m.
Nabi Sheet cemetery searched
Our correspondent in the Bekaa reported that two separate landings took place during the night, after helicopters touched down in fields near the localities of Bou Fares and Shaara.
A photo shared by our correspondent shows Israeli soldiers searching a grave in the village cemetery. About eight Israeli soldiers were reportedly deployed.
According to circulating information, which L’Orient-Le Jour has not yet been able to confirm, the soldiers were dressed in Lebanese Army uniforms.
The operation comes less than two months after the disappearance of Ahmad Shukur, a former officer in Lebanese General Security who has not been heard from since Dec. 19. His brother is suspected of involvement in the 1986 capture of Ron Arad.
The Israeli pilot was captured in Saida during the Lebanese civil war by fighters affiliated with the Amal movement after ejecting from his damaged aircraft.
According to the latest information from our correspondent Sarah Abdallah, at least 41 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in Israeli bombardments targeting Nabi Sheet and nearby villages before the commando operation, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Nine of the victims were from Khreibeh, 15 from Nabi Sheet, one from Sariayn, and one from Ali Nahri. Three Lebanese Army soldiers and one member of General Security from the Shukur family were also among the dead.
According to the latest preliminary toll released by the Health Ministry, at least 41 people were killed and more than 40 others wounded.
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