Israeli army carries out new landing operation in east Lebanon’s Bekaa
Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli helicopters and troops in Nabi Chit, days after Israel’s military raided the town in a failed attempt to find missing air force navigator Ron Arad
The Israeli military carried out a new landing operation in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa region early on 9 March, just two days after a deadly incursion into the town of Nabi Chit – aimed at locating the body of Israeli air force pilot Ron Arad, who was taken captive in Lebanon decades ago.
In a statement, Hezbollah said it detected the Israeli force, made up of 15 helicopters.
“After the failure of the Israeli landing two days ago in the town of Nabi Chit, the enemy attempted again to carry out a landing in the same area, but the eyes of the Mujahideen and their weapons were on the alert. At 12:10 [am] on Monday, 09-03-2026, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance detected the infiltration of about 15 helicopters belonging to the Israeli enemy army from the Syrian direction,” the resistance said.
“The hostile helicopters flew over the eastern chain, specifically in the skies of the villages of Janta, Yahfouf, Nabi Sheet, Arsal, and Ras Baalbek, where a number of them proceeded to land an infantry force in the Sarghaya plain, whose advance towards Lebanese territory was detected,” it added.
Hezbollah went on to say that its fighters “confronted the helicopters and the infiltrating force with appropriate weapons, and the confrontation is still ongoing until the issuance of this statement.”
Correspondents for Al Manar and Al Mayadeen both reported, as the incident was ongoing, that Hezbollah managed to hit one of the Israeli helicopters.
AFP also reported, citing what it claimed were Hezbollah sources, that an Israeli helicopter was downed.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said there were “fierce clashes ... towards the outskirts of the town of Nabi Sheet to repel Israeli forces that carried out a landing by helicopters.”
The Israeli military claimed it was “unaware” of a second landing operation in the Bekaa town of Nabi Chit.
The new incursion coincided with continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon, including the east, south, and capital, Beirut.
On Saturday, Israeli troops landed in Nabi Chit in search of Arad’s body. Upon landing and infiltrating the town, troops entered a local cemetery where they proceeded to search for the remains. A woman discovered the force and screamed to alert the townspeople, before being shot dead by the Israeli soldiers.
Hezbollah and armed locals confronted the troops, who ended up withdrawing under heavy Israeli air cover that resulted in heavy civilian casualties. Several Lebanese soldiers were also killed.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly announced that Tel Aviv’s forces failed in their mission.
“Our heroic fighters went out tonight on a special operation to locate and recover the navigator Ron Arad, who was taken captive in Lebanon about 40 years ago. For many long years, we have been working on this mission without pause,” Netanyahu said.
He added that the operation “did not produce the findings we were seeking.” Arad went missing in Lebanon in 1986.
In December 2025, Ahmad Shukr, an elderly Lebanese man and former General Security officer, was kidnapped after being lured from Nabi Chit to the city of Zahle. In January, Lebanese authorities charged four people with communicating with Israel’s Mossad agency in order to carry out the kidnapping.
Reports at the time claimed Shukr was linked to Arad’s disappearance. Arad was said to have briefly been held by Hezbollah ally the Amal Movement, though his fate remains unknown.