Heavy fighting has erupted between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Israeli air raids and ground clashes have killed at least 16 people and wounded dozens, according to Lebanese authorities, as the regional conflict continues to intensify.
Ground Clashes Reported Near Lebanon-Syria Border
Clashes broke out after Israeli forces attempted a landing operation near the Lebanon-Syria border in the Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that Hezbollah fighters engaged Israeli troops along the eastern mountain range to repel the landing attempt.
According to Hezbollah, four Israeli military helicopters entered the area from the Syrian direction and deployed troops near the town of Nabi Chit.
Israeli Air Raids Cause Casualties
The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israeli air raids on the town of Nabi Chit killed at least 16 people and wounded 35 others. Several strikes hit the area during the escalation, causing widespread destruction.
Emergency workers and Lebanese civil defence teams were seen inspecting damaged buildings following overnight air strikes in villages near Baalbek.
Hezbollah Fighters Confront Israeli Troops
Hezbollah said its fighters confronted Israeli soldiers after they landed near the Nabi Chit cemetery. The group reported that light and medium weapons were used during the clash as the confrontation intensified.
According to Hezbollah statements, Israeli troops launched heavy strikes while attempting to withdraw from the area.
Rockets Fired During Israeli Withdrawal
As Israeli forces began to evacuate the area, Hezbollah fighters fired rockets toward the evacuation zone on the outskirts of Nabi Chit. Footage circulating on social media showed heavy gunfire and explosions during the confrontation.
The raid would represent one of the deepest Israeli military incursions into Lebanon in recent years.
Growing Humanitarian Crisis in Lebanon
The ongoing fighting has triggered mass displacement across Lebanon. Thousands of civilians have fled areas in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley as Israeli bombardments continue.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 217 people have been killed this week in Israeli attacks across the country, with nearly 800 wounded and around 95,000 civilians displaced.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that the scale of displacement could create a severe humanitarian and political crisis.