Israeli forces conduct mission in Lebanon to recover pilot’s remains
- Israeli Special Forces carried out an operation in eastern Lebanon on Friday to find the remains of pilot Ron Arad, captured during a raid in 1986.
- The Israeli army claims to be constantly searching for its “missing.”
- A TF1 team visited Nabi Chit, where the operation took place, resulting in 41 deaths according to Lebanese authorities.
Why did the Israeli army intervene in Lebanon in the middle of the night to find a body missing for 40 years? Following this ground operation by Israeli Special Forces in Nabi Chit, residents still question the purpose. “They say there is Ron Arad. It’s been 30, 40 years since he died. His bones turned to dust. They are not here,” a local told TF1 in the report above.
However, Israeli forces justify the intervention by explaining it was to find the remains of Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force pilot missing since 1986 after being ejected from his plane during a bombing mission over Iran. Despite being declared dead, the search never stopped to retrieve his body.
To try to recover their pilot’s remains, Israeli forces conducted a dual operation: a massive airstrike and a nighttime ground intervention. Residents were seen picking up cartridges found on the ground. “We picked them up from the ground, down there, near the cemetery,” said a resident, describing the intervention as a “commando” operation.
Many criticize the timing of this operation amid Middle East conflict, especially as clashes have escalated between Israeli forces and pro-Iranian Hezbollah. Yet, Israel continues to affirm that the goal was to find Ron Arad’s body.
“We are always searching for our missing, whether it has been for a long time or a short time,” said Israeli army spokesperson Olivier Rafowicz on TF1. “It is part of the ethics of the Israeli state, and especially the IDF.”
Watch Video: LCI on the trail of the failed Israeli raid in Lebanon
The Israeli army announced on Saturday that the operation did not find any remains or objects related to Ron Arad, with no casualties on the Israeli side. Lebanese authorities reported 41 deaths, including civilians killed during intense enemy bombardments accompanying the Israeli operation in Nabi Chit, according to a military statement.
