BEIRUT: Ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have forced the burial of Lebanese Army officer Maj. Mohammed Farhat to take place in an alternative location.
Farhat, 30, was killed on Thursday alongside Cpls. Mohammed Hussein Nazzal and Moussa Youssef Mahna while attempting to evacuate wounded civilians in Yater, a town in the Bint Jbeil district.
Originally from Deir Qanoun Ras Al-Ain in Tyre, Farhat’s family was unable to bury him in his hometown due to the conflict.
Instead, he was laid to rest temporarily in the Maronite-majority town of Rash’in, located 95 km north of Beirut.
Burials in temporary alternative locations have been the norm with many of those killed from villages along the southern border amid clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants.
The burial, marked by a joint Muslim-Christian ceremony, symbolized national unity and coexistence amid deep political divides and Lebanon’s ongoing crisis.
The ceremony began at the Central Military Hospital in Beirut, where Gen. Joseph Aoun, army commander, saluted Farhat’s coffin.
The procession then moved to Saint Maron Church in Rash’in, where a Muslim cleric prayed over Farhat’s body, underscoring Lebanon’s diverse yet united respect for its fallen soldiers.
Farhat’s death has sparked accusations of targeted violence, as social media activists recalled his confrontation with Israeli forces in March 2023.