By Our Correspondent
Dozens have been killed in Lebanon as Israeli special forces launched a major overnight raid in the eastern Bekaa Valley, amid escalating tensions with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
The Lebanese health ministry confirmed at least 41 fatalities and 40 injuries during the operation in the town of Nabi Chit, which also claimed the lives of three Lebanese soldiers.
Civilians, including children, were among those killed as buildings were reduced to rubble.
The focus of the operation was to recover the remains of an Israeli airman missing for 40 years.
Locals reported an empty grave at the village cemetery, indicating that the mission failed.
Witnesses described large craters, destroyed homes, and signs of civilian life—such as children’s coloring books—scattered across the debris.
Hezbollah allowed journalists to document the destruction.
The Lebanese military reported that four Israeli aircraft appeared near the Syria-Lebanon border, deploying special forces under cover of intense aerial bombardment.
Street clashes erupted between Israeli troops, Hezbollah fighters, and civilians defending their homes.
Some Israeli soldiers reportedly disguised themselves in Lebanese army uniforms and used ambulances marked with Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization.
Locals, many of whom are Shia but not Hezbollah members, expressed shock at the scale of destruction.
“They bombed everything. This is crazy,” said one resident. Others reported evacuating children but staying behind to defend their homes, describing fierce resistance against the Israeli incursion.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported no casualties among its troops and said it targeted Hezbollah military sites during the operation.
IDF statements emphasized a commitment to recovering the remains of missing Israeli soldiers, though Ron Arad’s widow cautioned against putting lives at risk.
Across Lebanon, at least 294 people have died since Monday due to Israeli military actions.
Despite heavy losses, some villagers in Nabi Chit claimed a sense of victory, asserting that Israeli forces failed to retrieve the remains.
This escalation highlights the intensifying Israel-Hezbollah conflict, raising concerns over regional stability and civilian safety in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.
