The untold toll of war: Search for missing Hezbollah fighters hindered by Israel's destruction

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Nearly three weeks after the ceasefire in Israel's war on Lebanon, the scars remain deep, particularly for the families of fighters who have not been accounted for.  

For some families, the confirmation of a loved one's martyrdom came through reports from surviving comrades who were with them at the exact location or from the recovery of the fighter's weapon without their body. 

However, there is no final count yet of the fallen fighters. Hezbollah has refrained from releasing official statistics on the total number of martyrs since the start of the 'support front' for various reasons.  

The situation is further complicated by the Israeli army's continued occupation of nearly all border villages, except Khiam, which is now under the control of the Lebanese Army. 

In Khiam, only a small number of martyrs have been found, while estimates suggest that around 200 individuals from the village are still missing. 
 
The search efforts have been hampered, as Israeli forces have bulldozed lands and destroyed buildings where the missing are believed to have been buried. 

Additionally, Israel used incendiary munitions containing gases in strikes on underground tunnels and facilities, which are suspected to have caused suffocation among fighters sheltering there.  

The devastation extends beyond Khiam. Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted rescue workers and Lebanese Army personnel during recovery efforts, further hindering the search for missing individuals. 

Consequently, the number of missing is known only to Hezbollah, which has not disclosed details yet until the identities of recovered bodies and remains can be verified.  

Since the war began in October 2023 and through September 27, Hezbollah has officially announced the martyrdom of 470 fighters. 

Notably, at least 400 of them were mourned since the start of the battle on September 23. Many others have been buried as provisional "deposits," awaiting proper funerals in their still-occupied hometowns.