The rubble of a building collapsed following an Israeli bombing, in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, on June 21, 2026. (Credit: Mahmoud Zayyat / AFP)
Seven people, of Lebanese and Syrian nationalities, were freed overnight from Friday to Saturday after being kidnapped the previous day by the Israeli army in Ain Arab (Marjayoun), in southern Lebanon.
The local mukhtar (elected official), Mokhtar el-Ahmad, told our correspondent in the region that Israeli forces released, at 1 a.m. on Saturday, the Lebanese and Syrians they had abducted in the village, who numbered seven and not eight as previously reported. They are the Lebanese Ali Moussa Ibrahim, his son Mohammad, and Nasser el-Raja, as well as four Syrian farmers. The mukhtar added that the Lebanese army has taken charge of the freed individuals, all of whom have returned to Lebanon.
Since the announcement of a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel on Friday, a fragile calm has prevailed in southern Lebanon.
