An Israeli tank strike has reportedly killed a Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest, Father Pierre al-Rahi, during shelling in the village of Qlayaa in southern Lebanon.
According to reports by OSV News, the priest died after Israeli tanks fired into the area amid ongoing clashes near the border with Israel.
Father al-Rahi, also known as Pierre el-Rai, had reportedly refused orders to evacuate the village despite warnings issued by Israeli forces. Qlayaa, a predominantly Christian Maronite community located in the Marjayoun district close to the Israeli border, has been heavily affected by the renewed fighting.
Confirming the incident, Jean Younes, secretary-general of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon, expressed sorrow over the priest’s death.
“Father Pierre al-Rahi was from my village, Dibeh, but he served as the parish priest of Qlayaa in Marjayoun,” Younes told OSV News. “Unfortunately, he passed away. God bless his soul.”
Reports indicate that the priest chose to remain in the village to continue his pastoral work and support residents who had stayed behind despite evacuation orders.
Qlayaa once had a population of around 8,000 people before the escalation of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon forced many residents to flee.
The killing of the priest comes amid intensified strikes by Israeli forces in areas close to the border, following ongoing hostilities involving the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Reacting to the development, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sorrow over the victims of recent bombings in the Middle East, including Father al-Rahi.
In a message shared through the Holy See Press Office on Telegram, the Pope said he was following the situation with concern and prayed for an end to hostilities in the region.
“Profound sorrow for all the victims of the bombings in the Middle East over the last few days — for the many innocent people, including many children, and for those who were providing them with aid, such as Father Pierre El-Rahi,” the message read.
The conflict has continued to affect civilian populations across southern Lebanon, with border communities facing repeated shelling and displacement as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate.
