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Deadly Israeli operation targets Lebanese town
At least 41 people died and 40 were injured during an overnight Israeli military raid in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The operation, centered on the town of Nabi Chit, aimed to recover the remains of an Israeli airman missing for four decades.
Civilian casualties and destruction
Among the dead were three Lebanese soldiers and multiple civilians, including children, local residents confirmed. Bullet-riddled cars, bloodstained seats, and collapsed buildings marked the aftermath. A crater left by an explosion damaged nearby homes, scattering personal items like children's coloring books and cooking utensils across the debris.
One local man pointed to an empty grave in the town cemetery, dug up during the raid. "They thought he was there, but there was nothing," he said.
Military tactics and clashes
The Lebanese military reported Israeli aircraft landing near the Syrian border late Friday, deploying special forces before launching a "large-scale aerial bombardment." Flare bombs were used to locate the landing zone, sparking street battles between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters, alongside civilians defending their homes.
A local official described the scene: "At midnight, we noticed unusual movement. It was an Israeli commando unit. Hezbollah surrounded them, and heavy clashes followed. The air force intensified strikes to extract their forces, causing massive damage."
Witnesses and Hezbollah claimed Israel conducted around 40 airstrikes to cover the withdrawal of special forces, who allegedly disguised themselves in Lebanese military uniforms and used ambulances marked with Hezbollah's Islamic Health Organization insignia. The Lebanese army chief confirmed the disguises to local media, though the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond to requests for comment.
Civilian perspectives and evacuations
Nabi Chit was under Israeli evacuation orders, but many residents stayed, believing past strikes would repeat-limited to a few homes. "Usually, they hit two or three houses, but this was different. It was non-stop," a local man said. Another resident, Ali Shakur, called the destruction "crazy," suggesting Israeli forces were surprised by the number of people still in the town.
Mohamed Chokr, whose uncle and relatives were killed, emphasized their neutrality: "My uncle was a retired soldier, his sons were also retired or teachers. We're not Hezbollah members-we're Lebanese army." His relative, who arrived in a bulldozer to rescue the family, was also killed in crossfire.
A woman surveying the wreckage shouted, "Israel is attacking us unjustly. We are Hezbollah, and we will prevail."
Israeli statements and broader context
The IDF confirmed no Israeli personnel were injured in the operation, reiterating its commitment to recovering "all of Israel's sons, the fallen and the missing." However, Ron Arad's widow, Tami, urged leaders to prioritize soldiers' lives over recovering remains. "The sanctity of life comes before the commitment to return a fighter for burial," she wrote on Facebook.
In a separate statement, the IDF said overnight strikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley targeted Hezbollah weapons and military sites but did not address the Nabi Chit operation specifically.
Rising death toll and regional impact
The Lebanese health ministry reported 294 deaths from Israeli military action since Monday. In Nabi Chit, some residents declared victory after repelling the raid. "They came standing, but we made them leave lying down," one man said.
