Failed Israeli special forces operation in Lebanon: 41 dead in search of remains of missing pilot in 1986
An incursion by Israeli special forces into a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon has resulted in dozens of casualties. The operation was aimed at finding the remains of an Israeli pilot who disappeared in 1986.
Failed Israeli special forces operation in Lebanon PHOTO: @Nervana_1
An Israeli special forces operation in the village of Nabi Chit, in eastern Lebanon, ended with 41 dead and 40 wounded, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, quoted by AFP. The targeted area is considered a stronghold of the Iran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah.
The village bears the marks of violent confrontations: collapsed buildings, ripped off roofs and ammunition scattered in the streets. A huge crater was formed in the center of the town following the bombings that preceded the intervention of an Israeli commando transported by helicopter, reports News.ro.
“It was like a movie“, Mohammed Moussa, a 55-year-old local, told AFP. “They started bombing and carried out about 20 attacks” before Israeli soldiers arrived in the area. “I later understood that there was a commando operation going on when I heard the helicopters“, he added.
The mayor of the town, Hani Moussaoui, spoke about the destruction caused by the attack: “The price to pay is terrible: destroyed infrastructure and the blood of our children”. But he added that “as long as Israel exists, we will continue to resist it”.
Video source: X/ @DmodosCutter
The mission to find pilot Ron Arad
The Israeli military confirmed that it had carried out an operation on Friday night to “special forces” to try to locate the remains of missing pilot Ron Arad, but without success. According to Israel, there were no casualties among the Israeli military.
“Our heroic captains launched (…) a special operation to locate and free the navigator Ron Arad”, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We have been continuing this mission non-stop for several years. The operation conducted tonight did not produce the expected results“, he admitted, stressing, however, that Israel's commitment to recover the missing soldiers remains “absolute and unwavering”.
Hezbollah confirmed that there was a confrontation with the Israeli army in the Bekaa plain. According to the group, its fighters noticed “infiltration of four helicopters” Israelis coming from Syria, Friday evening.
After landing, Hezbollah fighters allegedly engaged Israeli soldiers in the Nabi Chit cemetery, where images captured later show an open and overturned grave.
A mystery almost 40 years old
Ron Arad ejected from his plane in 1986 after the aircraft was shot down over Lebanon during a mission against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). He was captured by Shiite groups during the Lebanese civil war.
Although he is now presumed dead, his remains have never been recovered, and the case continues to preoccupy Israeli authorities, for whom the repatriation of missing soldiers is considered a national duty.
