Israeli air and ground attacks on Lebanon killed at least 41 people and wounded 40 others, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said Saturday.
The ministry reportedly issued a statement saying the Israeli forces were spotted by Hezbollah fighters and local residents, sparking exchanges of gunfire. It said Israeli warplanes and helicopters then carried out about 40 air raids in the area after the commandos’ presence was detected.
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Hezbollah said its fighters opened fire on what it described as an “enemy infantry force” using light and medium weapons as the Israeli commandos moved toward a cemetery in the eastern part of the village.
The Iran-backed militant group said its fighters directed “concentrated fire” at the Israeli troops as they withdrew from the area.
Residents told Reuters the bombardment caused extensive damage in the area. A local resident, Mohammed Atrisi, said the strike occurred around 8 a.m. while people were asleep.
Atrisi said a father and his son were inside the targeted building when it was hit. The father was killed, while the son was pulled alive from beneath the rubble.
Israel’s military verified on social media that its special forces operated in Lebanon overnight on Saturday. The military reported the strike was an an attempt to find the remains of the Israeli soldier Ron Arad, who has been officially missing since the 1980s. However, the mission was unsuccessful.
Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon in recent days but had not previously been reported to deploy ground forces this far north in eastern Lebanon.
