On the night of Friday, March 6, to Saturday, March 7, 2026, Israeli troops and helicopters conducted a commando operation near Nabi Sheet, reportedly searching for remains of the missing Israeli airman Ron Arad. Clashes with local fighters were reported during the operation, which included helicopter landings and intense airstrikes before Israeli forces withdrew.

Their goal was the Al-Chokr family cemetery, in the heart of the Bekaa Valley.

Background on Ron Arad:

Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force navigator, went missing over Lebanon in 1986 after his plane was shot down. Captured by Lebanese militias, his fate remains unknown, and Israel has carried out multiple operations over the decades to locate him or recover his remains. He is officially considered Missing in Action (MIA).

Details of the Operation:

Four Israeli helicopters were spotted over Khraibeh-Baalbek at 10:50 pm, near the Syrian-Lebanese border. Two Israeli helicopters landed near Nabi Chit and Khraibeh, dropping soldiers who moved toward a cemetery in Nabi Chit to search a grave suspected of holding Arad’s remains while intense airstrikes hit nearby villages.

The Israeli soldiers briefly searched a section of the Al-Chokr family cemetery before clashes broke out with local residents and Hezbollah fighters. Witnesses noted that the Israeli soldiers used vehicles resembling Lebanese army and Hezbollah vehicles and spoke Arabic with a Lebanese accent (crime of perfidy).

Impact of Airstrikes:

Hezbollah sources stated the Israeli Air Force carried out 40–50 airstrikes, including one targeting the central square of Nabi Chit to prevent reinforcements from intervening. The operation included heavy bombardment and multiple air raids, severely affecting infrastructure in Nabi Sheet

The bombardment left a massive crater, gutted buildings, and damaged vehicles. Portraits of "martyrs" from the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict remain on some buildings.

Casualties:

The fighting reportedly left three Lebanese soldiers and 41 residents of the Bekaa Valley dead, according to the Lebanese army and Ministry of Health. No Israeli casualties were reported.