Maroun al-Ras
Encyclopedia
Maroun al-Ras is a Lebanese
village nestled in Jabal Amel
(Mount Amel) in the district of Bint Jbeil
in the Nabatiye Governorate
in southern Lebanon
. It is located around 120 km (75 mi) south east of Beirut
, roughly one km (0.62 mi) from the Israel
i border
.
and their Lebanese allies. The phalangists had received vague promises of air support from Israel should they be met with resistance, which they never received. Seven phalangists were killed when the Palestinians arrived and the rest of the phalangists had to flee. Following this episode the Israelis deployed a group of soldiers to protect Ain Ebl against reprisal attacks, and they remained there until Israel's invasion of Lebanon two weeks later.
and Hezbollah fighters during the 2006 Lebanon War.
Maroun al-Ras is strategically important as it overlooks the surrounding towns. The village's elevation is 911 meters (2,989 feet).
During the Battle of Maroun al-Ras
of the 2006 Lebanon War, the village was occupied by Israel, which claimed it was a stronghold for Hezbollah and one of the launching points for rocket attacks on northern Israel.
There are reports that control of the village was contested at the time of the ceasefire. After-battle reports claimed the IDF troops never fully secured the border area and that Maroun al-Ras was never fully taken.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
village nestled in Jabal Amel
Jabal Amel
Jabal Amel or Amil is a mountainous region of Southern Lebanon.The region is named after the Banu 'Amilah, a Yemenite tribe who, along with the kindred tribes of Hamadan, Lakhm, and Judham, settled in Syria, Palestine, parts of Jordan, and Lebanon. The area was known in ancient times as Jabal...
(Mount Amel) in the district of Bint Jbeil
Bint Jbeil District
The Bint Jbeil District is a district in the Nabatiyeh Governorate of Lebanon. The capital of the district is Bint Jbeil....
in the Nabatiye Governorate
Nabatiye Governorate
Nabatieh Governorate is one of the six governorates of Lebanon. The area of this governorate is 1,058 km². The capital is Nabatieh.-Districts:The governorate is divided into four districts containing 115 municipalities...
in southern Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. It is located around 120 km (75 mi) south east of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, roughly one km (0.62 mi) from the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
.
Lebanese Civil War
On March 1, 1977 the village was occupied by a force of 60 phalangists, drawn from the villages around Ain Ebl, at the behest of the Israeli military and led to believe by Israeli advisors that they would be welcomed with open arms by the inhabitants. The population in Maroun al-Ras being shia Muslims, however immediately called on help from FatahFatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
and their Lebanese allies. The phalangists had received vague promises of air support from Israel should they be met with resistance, which they never received. Seven phalangists were killed when the Palestinians arrived and the rest of the phalangists had to flee. Following this episode the Israelis deployed a group of soldiers to protect Ain Ebl against reprisal attacks, and they remained there until Israel's invasion of Lebanon two weeks later.
2006 Lebanon War
The village was the scene of a major confrontation between the Israeli ArmyIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and Hezbollah fighters during the 2006 Lebanon War.
Maroun al-Ras is strategically important as it overlooks the surrounding towns. The village's elevation is 911 meters (2,989 feet).
During the Battle of Maroun al-Ras
Battle of Maroun al-Ras
The Battle of Maroun al-Ras was a battle of the 2006 Lebanon War, and took place in Maroun al-Ras, which is a small town in southern Lebanon on the border with Israel, and was a Hezbollah stronghold....
of the 2006 Lebanon War, the village was occupied by Israel, which claimed it was a stronghold for Hezbollah and one of the launching points for rocket attacks on northern Israel.
There are reports that control of the village was contested at the time of the ceasefire. After-battle reports claimed the IDF troops never fully secured the border area and that Maroun al-Ras was never fully taken.