Israeli Special Forces Come Under Close-Range Fire in Lebanon: A 50-Year-Old Woman Pulls Out a "Kalashnikov" and Opens Fire First Details
Israeli special reconnaissance teams suffered major losses during an operation, with a helicopter being shot down
Photo: Beirut, Lebanon, smoke rising after Israeli airstrikes
Some media had already reported on the failed Israeli airborne operation in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon on March 7. Recently, more details of this Israeli "commando" operation have been exposed, which ultimately ended in significant Israeli casualties.
The Israeli government has imposed strict censorship on information regarding Iran and Hezbollah's retaliatory attacks on military facilities and the destruction of Israeli forces. Those who publish related photos or video evidence can face up to 14 years in prison.
For example, the following information has been strictly sealed off: the destroyed oil refinery in Haifa, the paralyzed oil depot near Tel Aviv, districts in the capital that have turned into ruins, and Israeli armored equipment destroyed in Lebanon. Nevertheless, some information has leaked out.
Looking back: The Israeli operation in the mountainous areas around the Bekaa Valley, about 30 kilometers from Beirut, was officially claimed to be aimed at finding the remains of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who has been missing since May 1988. According to Israeli intelligence, he may be buried in a cemetery somewhere in Lebanon.
But in fact, this elite special forces unit clearly had another mission. It is highly likely that they were trying to eliminate the leadership of Hezbollah - it was Hezbollah fighters in the border areas of Lebanon who were holding back the Israeli offensive.
The Israeli special forces dropped into the mountains were wearing Lebanese military uniforms. At night, they advanced toward the cemetery in the suburbs of the village of Nabi Hitt, but were discovered almost immediately. A battle broke out, and the Israeli forces found themselves surrounded and requested support.
Israel then sent helicopters to fire missiles at the Hezbollah fighters attacking, helping the special forces evacuate. BBC journalists first revealed this failed operation by Israel.
However, people in Lebanon gave another version. Lebanese independent political commentator Rait Marouf revealed this account while speaking to American commentator Garland Nixon.
According to him, the disguised Israeli special forces did not act alone but were operating in coordination with a Wahhabi armed group under the command of Joulani, a Syrian opposition figure. They entered Lebanon in modified civilian SUVs that looked like Lebanese military armored vehicles, and even a vehicle disguised as an ambulance for an Islamic relief organization was mixed in the convoy.
When these infiltrators entered the village, they were spotted by a local woman. She immediately realized that these people were not locals - everyone in the area knew each other, recognizing Lebanese soldiers and medical staff.
This 50-year-old woman did not scream for help or cry out, but instead directly pulled out a Kalashnikov rifle and fired at close range, killing and wounding several people. Realizing the situation, the special forces shot her dead, and Marouf said she became a martyr. At this point, her sons ran out of their house and joined the fight. The village was awakened, and the real battle began, with Hezbollah fighters also joining in.
The infiltrators realized they had fallen into a trap and called for "helicopter" support. Israeli helicopters carried out indiscriminate attacks on the village, firing nearly 50 guided missiles. Israeli Air Force fighter jets and drones also participated in the attack, firing 30 missiles. After collecting the dead and injured, the special forces managed to escape.
This attack resulted in 41 deaths, of which only 10 were Hezbollah members, the rest were civilians, and three Lebanese soldiers who spent the night in the village were also killed.
A day later, Israeli special forces tried again to enter the village. This time, they did not disguise themselves as Lebanese troops, but arrived by 15 helicopters, possibly to find the injured and dead soldiers left behind earlier.
However, this time, the village of Nabi Hitt was already on high alert. Local air defense systems were activated, and one Apache helicopter was shot down. The infiltrators had to call for evacuation again. After two hours of fighting, the Israeli forces withdrew again.
"The Israeli military command thought they could conduct a quick operation in this area of Lebanon because the main resistance forces were concentrated in the south and north of Lebanon," Marouf said. "They thought that infiltrating from Syria would be smoother, but obviously they made a wrong calculation. I believe that even with the assistance of the Wahhabi 'death squad', Israel cannot win in Lebanon."
On March 11, the New York Post cited a report stating that Hezbollah fired 100 missiles at Israel the day before, breaking through the much-hyped "Iron Dome" defense system, with Israel managing to intercept only half of them.
Israeli Defense Forces sources told the newspaper that the Israeli military is preparing for a ground offensive in Lebanon. The developments indicate that the Israeli military will be forced to fight on two fronts: on one hand, defending against aerial attacks from Iran, and on the other hand, fighting on the ground with Hezbollah.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7617121607949107775/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.