The Israeli army carried out an operation in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley aimed at uncovering information about the fate of missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad, triggering clashes with Hezbollah fighters overnight.
According to field reports cited by regional media, Israeli troops were deployed near the town of Nabi Sheet, a Hezbollah stronghold in the Bekaa region, where fighting reportedly broke out between Israeli forces and members of the group.
Israeli Commandos Search for Missing Pilot Remains
The Israeli Army announced that the operation had a specific objective linked to one of Israel’s longest-standing military mysteries: the fate of navigator Ron Arad, who disappeared in Lebanon in 1986.
Israeli forces carried out an operation deep inside Lebanese territory in an attempt to locate possible remains of the missing airman. Channel 12 reported that four Israeli helicopters deployed a special forces unit in the area during the nighttime operation.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show Israeli troops operating near the Al-Shokr cemetery in Nabi Sheet, where the landing reportedly took place.
Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force navigator, disappeared after ejecting from an F-4 Phantom fighter jet during a bombing mission over southern Lebanon in October 1986. While the pilot was rescued by Israeli forces, Arad was captured by a militia linked to the Amal movement and later disappeared. His fate has remained unresolved for decades, making the case one of Israel’s most enduring intelligence puzzles.
Israeli intelligence has long suggested that Arad may have been transferred at some stage to the Bekaa region, including Nabi Sheet, prompting repeated Israeli efforts over the years to uncover information about his fate.
IDF Confirms Mission, Says No Evidence Found
In a statement issued later, the Israeli military confirmed that Israeli Air Force special forces carried out an overnight operation in the Nabi Sheet area aimed at locating evidence related to missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad, who disappeared in Lebanon in 1986.
The Israel Defense Forces said the raid was conducted following what it described as an “operational opportunity” based on intelligence information, but no findings connected to Arad were discovered at the search site. The military added that no casualties were reported among Israeli forces during the operation.
According to the IDF, heavy airstrikes were carried out in the area to isolate the operational zone during the mission, and the army said it remains committed to continuing efforts to determine the fate of Arad and other missing Israeli soldiers.
Fierce Clashes Reported on the Ground
Local reports indicated that the confrontation between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters occurred at extremely close range, with intense exchanges of gunfire.
According to a statement by Hezbollah, the group detected the infiltration of four Israeli helicopters approaching from the Syrian direction, which landed a ground force near the mountainous triangle connecting the towns of Yahfoufa, Khreibeh and Ma’raboun.
Hezbollah said Israeli troops advanced toward the eastern neighborhood of Nabi Sheet, where the cemetery is located, before clashes erupted with fighters armed with light and medium weapons.
After the Israeli force was detected, the confrontation escalated, with Israeli aircraft reportedly launching around 40 airstrikes to cover the withdrawal of the ground unit.
Heavy Casualties Reported
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that the clashes and accompanying strikes resulted in 41 deaths, including three Lebanese Army soldiers and one member of Lebanon’s General Security service.
Israeli authorities have not commented on whether Israeli forces suffered casualties during the operation.
Images from the area showed extensive destruction to buildings, vehicles, and commercial properties in Nabi Sheet following the fighting and accompanying airstrikes.
Rising Death Toll Across Lebanon
The reported ground operation comes as Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon continue to intensify, with the country’s Health Ministry reporting at least 217 people killed and 798 wounded since Monday.
The ministry said the casualties were recorded between March 2 and March 6, as Israeli strikes targeted multiple areas across the country amid escalating hostilities with Hezbollah.
The fighting has also triggered a rapidly worsening humanitarian situation. According to the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, around 100,000 people have taken refuge in shelters across the country, following large-scale evacuation warnings issued by Israel.
UN officials said civilians are currently sheltering in approximately 477 collective shelters, while the remaining capacity is quickly being exhausted.
“Over the past two days we have witnessed an unprecedented situation,” said Imran Riza, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon. “The scale of evacuation warnings and the panic they have caused is something we have not seen before.”
Riza warned that displacement numbers are expected to rise sharply, as Israeli evacuation orders continue to expand to new regions.
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