Nabi Chit, Lebanon. Residents and Lebanese state media reported that Israel’s military conducted an airborne operation overnight near the town of Nabi Chit in eastern Lebanon, followed by heavy strikes that left 16 people dead in the past 24 hours, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Overnight troop drop and withdrawal
Israeli helicopters dropped troops near Nabi Chit in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley overnight, Lebanese state media and residents said. The reports said residents and Hezbollah fighters fired on the troops as they moved on foot.
The Israeli troops later withdrew and left by helicopter as Israeli strikes hit Nabi Chit and nearby towns, according to residents and state media. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to Reuters questions about the incident.
Casualties and wider impact
Lebanon’s health ministry said 16 people were killed in Israeli attacks in Nabi Chit in the last 24 hours. A spokesperson told Reuters the toll included people killed in strikes throughout Friday as well as during intense overnight bombardment, and said it was expected to rise further.
Two security sources told Reuters that three army troops were among the dead.
Israeli strikes have killed more than 200 people across Lebanon, and evacuation orders have displaced around 300,000 people, only a third of whom are now living in government shelters.
Escalation in the conflict
Lebanon was drawn deeper into the conflict on Monday when Iran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel, which has responded with heavy bombardment across Lebanon’s south, east and near the capital Beirut.
Resident describes bombardment
Shawki al-Masri, who lives in a town adjacent to Nabi Chit, described the overnight bombing as “a night of hell”.
“We heard the helicopters over our house all night – they were so low we thought they would land on us,” he told Reuters.
“People in the town woke up and started shooting at them, then the warplanes started bombing. It was a very violent night and only calmed down when the sun came up,” he said.
How do you think the reported airborne operation near Nabi Chit could affect the situation in eastern Lebanon?