An Israeli Apache attack helicopter in Lebanon. archive image: keystone
March 7, 2026, 1:22 p.mMarch 7, 2026, 1:22 p.m
Israel’s army carried out a surprise nighttime operation with military helicopters in Lebanon. During the night, special troops tried to find details about Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad, who was shot down over southern Lebanon in 1986 and captured by the Shiite Amal militia. The Israeli army announced this today. They will try “day and night” to bring killed and missing Israelis home.
Lebanon’s state agency NNA and Lebanese media reported that four Israeli Apache attack helicopters landed in the area. After heavy fighting there were at least 26 dead, including three Lebanese army soldiers. Israel carried out around 40 airstrikes in the area during the operation.
Gunfight at the cemetery
Hezbollah said four Israeli army helicopters flew from Syria to eastern Lebanon and dropped off an infantry unit there. They then advanced into the village of Nabi Shit and exchanged fire with Hezbollah fighters at a cemetery. The command then withdrew again after heavy fighting with the help of parallel Israeli air strikes.
The Lebanese newspaper “L’Orient-Le Jour” reported that around eight Israeli soldiers were on the ground during the nighttime operation. According to the report, they also searched graves in the cemetery in Nabi Shit. These reports could not be independently confirmed.
Crashed 40 years ago
The Israeli soldier Arad crashed in a fighter plane in Lebanon 40 years ago. Despite decades of efforts, Israel never managed to free him. His unknown fate still affects the public today.
Ron Arad. The Israeli Air Force navigator has been missing since his crash near Sidon in 1986. He would be 67 years old today. Image: AP
A dignified burial is of utmost importance to Israelis for religious, human and social reasons. This particularly applies to fallen soldiers. The army has a code that stipulates that soldiers “will not be left behind” – neither alive nor dead. This promise is also intended to boost the morale of the troops. (sda/dpa)