Airwars assessment
On September 24, 2024, an alleged Israeli bombing reportedly struck the town of Nabi Sheet in Baalbek, Lebanon, resulting in the killing of two men identified as Ali Shukur, a member of the Lebanese army, and Jaafar al-Hasan. Multiple social media sources confirmed the strike, describing it as a morning raid on the town that reportedly involved two separate aerial attacks on its outskirts.
According to several online sources, Ali Shukur was described as a “brave soldier” by local accounts. Bassam Salim Chokr, a notable local source, posted a tribute referring to Shukur as a “martyr” following the morning raid. The account Echo of Dahieh on Telegram echoed similar sentiments, honouring Shukur’s service and sacrifice as a Lebanese army member killed in the attack on Nabi Sheth. At the time of writing, the Lebanese Armed Forces have not been party to the conflict, and there is no information to suggest that Ali Shukur is any exception. Further, as no information from the incident refers to Shukur as acting in a military capacity at the time of his death, he has been counted as a civilian.
In a Facebook post, Maryam shared a personal tribute to her cousin Jaafar al-Hasan, mourning his death and remembering him as “the purest young man in our family.” Maryam’s post highlighted Jaafar’s positive qualities, describing him as respectful, beloved, and expressing pride in him.
The Sayda post on September 24 reported that a house on Nabi Sheet Road was targeted and that another “assassination operation” was possibly attempted in the Bekaa region that day. Other posts suggested the airstrike specifically targeted the outskirts of Nabi Sheet, with local sources indicating Israeli involvement. @bHE6ERdZvN6bhsS on Twitter/X alleged two airstrikes targeting the Nabi Sheet area.
Photos shared by local community members portrayed a sense of grief and respect for the deceased. A post by Ali on social media described Ali Shukur and Jaafar al-Hasan as “two happy heroes” who “loved life”. Describing their final journey, Ali’s post mentioned their optimistic outlook and light-hearted nature. There was no indication online that Ali Shukur was related to Fouad Shukur, a senior Hezbollah militant killed by an Israeli strike in July 2024.
Where sources identified belligerents, all sources attributed the airstrike to the Israeli military, with some language indicating an “[Israeli] enemy’s shelling” of Nabi Sheet.
The incident occured in the morning.
The victims were named as: