An Israeli special forces operation in eastern Lebanon, aimed at locating the remains of navigator Ron Arad who went missing nearly 40 years ago, has left dozens dead and wounded. The Israeli military confirmed on Saturday that the mission did not find Arad's remains or any related evidence.
The operation took place overnight in the town of Nabi Chit, near the Syrian border. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported at least 41 people killed and 40 wounded, including three Lebanese soldiers. Residents and Hezbollah fighters clashed with the Israeli force, which was supported by four helicopters.
An Israeli army spokesman stated that the force suffered no casualties. Hezbollah said its members engaged the Israeli unit, and that Israel conducted around 40 airstrikes to facilitate the withdrawal. A local resident told the Associated Press that the force dug up a grave in a cemetery before departing.
Ron Arad, an Israeli navigator, was captured after his fighter jet crashed in Lebanon in 1986. He was initially held by a Shiite faction called the Believers' Resistance and was believed to have been in Nabi Chit until 1988. Hezbollah later suggested he died while trying to reach Israel.
The operation comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with recent cross-border attacks. Airstrikes on Saturday hit several southern Lebanese villages, killing at least 11 people, including four members of the same family.
