Lebanese Army says Israeli forces carried out airborne landing near Khraibeh near Syrian border

The Lebanese Army said its units detected an Israeli airborne operation near the town of Khraibeh, Baalbek district, along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

According to an army statement, military units observed four helicopters belonging to the Israeli army flying over the Khraibeh area. Two of the helicopters deployed an Israeli force in the vicinity while intense and widespread airstrikes targeted nearby villages.

In response, specialized Lebanese Army units immediately implemented defensive measures and fired illumination flares to reveal the landing site. By the time the area was illuminated, however, members of the Israeli force had already disappeared from sight.

The operation was accompanied by heavy shelling and sweeping fire around the landing zone. The army said the Israeli force later moved from the landing area toward the nearby town of Nabi Chit, where an exchange of gunfire occurred between the Israeli unit and local residents.

The military operation continued until around 3:00 a.m., according to the statement.

Three Lebanese soldiers and several civilians were killed as a result of the intense Israeli bombardment that accompanied the operation.

The Lebanese Army said it is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.