Israeli Raid In Lebanon Leaves Dozens Dead/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ An Israeli commando operation in eastern Lebanon searching for clues about missing navigator Ron Arad left dozens dead and wounded. The raid triggered clashes with Hezbollah and local fighters in the town of Nabi Chit. Israel said the mission failed to find Arad’s remains or new information about his fate.
Israel Search for Ron Arad in Lebanon Quick Looks
- Israeli forces launched a special operation in eastern Lebanon searching for missing navigator Ron Arad.
- Clashes erupted with fighters from Hezbollah and local residents.
- At least 41 people were killed and 40 wounded in and around Nabi Chit.
- The Israeli military said the mission did not uncover Arad’s remains.
- Lebanese officials said Israeli commandos reportedly disguised themselves as Lebanese soldiers.
- Airstrikes were launched to help the Israeli unit withdraw safely.
- Arad has been missing since 1986 after ejecting from a fighter jet in Lebanon.
- His family urged Israeli leaders not to risk soldiers’ lives searching for him.
Israel Search for Missing Navigator Ron Arad Quick Looks
Israeli Raid in Lebanon Ends Without Evidence
An Israeli special forces operation in eastern Lebanon aimed at uncovering information about missing navigator Ron Arad ended without results but triggered deadly clashes that left dozens of people dead.
The Israeli military said Saturday that the overnight raid failed to find Arad’s remains or any evidence related to his disappearance nearly four decades ago.
The mission sparked fierce fighting in eastern Lebanon, particularly around the town of Nabi Chit, where Lebanese authorities reported significant casualties.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 41 people were killed and 40 wounded during the clashes.
Fighting Breaks Out During Israeli Operation
According to the Lebanese army and state media, Israeli commandos landed in mountainous areas near the border with Syria before moving toward Nabi Chit.
The operation reportedly involved four helicopters, two of which carried the ground force.
Lebanese army commander Gen. Rudolphe Haikal said the Israeli soldiers were allegedly wearing Lebanese military uniforms and used ambulances marked with symbols associated with Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization.
As the operation unfolded, fighters from Hezbollah and local residents engaged the Israeli unit in combat.
The Lebanese army said three of its soldiers were killed during the exchange of fire.
Israel’s air force reportedly conducted around 40 airstrikes in the area to support the withdrawal of the commando unit.
Despite the heavy fighting, the Israeli military said none of its troops were injured.
Search for Ron Arad Continues After Decades
The mission was part of Israel’s long-running effort to determine the fate of Arad, an Israeli Air Force navigator who disappeared in 1986 after ejecting from a fighter jet during a mission in Lebanon.
Arad had been participating in an attack targeting suspected Palestinian militants when his aircraft went down.
After parachuting to the ground, he was captured alive by members of a Shiite militia known as the Believers’ Resistance.
Photographs of Arad were released shortly after his capture, but all traces of him vanished in later years.
Israeli officials believe he may have been held in Nabi Chit until 1988 before disappearing during a battle between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters.
Witnesses Report Grave Site Disturbed
One resident of Nabi Chit told reporters that Israeli forces entered a local cemetery and dug up a grave during the raid.
The witness, who spoke anonymously due to security concerns, said the operation appeared focused on locating possible remains or evidence related to Arad.
The Israeli military later confirmed that the search did not yield any new information.
Family Urges Caution
Arad’s wife, Tami Arad, said the family has always wanted answers about his fate but does not want Israeli soldiers placed at risk during the search.
“Our desire to know what happened to Ron stops the moment it endangers Israeli soldiers,” she wrote in a message posted on social media.
“For 40 years we have lived with the fact that Ron is missing. We want to know what happened to him, but not at any price.”
She emphasized that protecting human life remains more important than resolving the long-standing mystery.
Earlier Attempts to Find Arad
Israel has made several previous attempts to learn what happened to the missing navigator.
In 1994, Israeli commandos conducted a helicopter raid deep inside Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, capturing militia leader Mustafa Dirani, who had been linked to Arad’s captivity.
Dirani was later released in 2004 as part of a prisoner exchange with Hezbollah.
In 2008, Hezbollah provided Israel with a report through mediators suggesting that Arad may have died after escaping from his captors while attempting to reach Israeli territory.
The report was later published in Israeli media.
Rising Tensions Along the Lebanon Border
The raid occurred amid renewed violence between Israel and Hezbollah following the outbreak of a broader Middle East war.
The conflict intensified after Israel and the United States launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28, leading Iran-backed groups across the region to retaliate.
Since then, Hezbollah has fired rockets and drones toward Israel while Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes across Lebanon.
Additional Israeli strikes were reported Saturday in southern Lebanese villages including Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Arab Saleem, and Jibchit.
Lebanese authorities said a strike on Jibchit killed six people, including four members of the same family, while another attack in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah killed five people.
Decades-Old Mystery Remains Unresolved
Nearly 40 years after Ron Arad’s disappearance, the Israeli military continues searching for answers about his fate.
Despite repeated intelligence efforts, raids, and negotiations over the years, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain one of Israel’s longest-running unresolved military cases.
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