(LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic priest has been reported dead due to Israeli bombing in his predominantly Christian town of Qlayaa, Lebanon, where the vast majority of its residents belong to the Maronite Catholic community.

The Cradle has reported that Father Pierre al-Rahi “succumbed to his injuries after being wounded by Israeli artillery shelling that targeted a residential neighborhood in the town.”

“After Israel announced the forcible displacement of the village, Father al-Rahi remained in order to care for his parishioners,” the news outlet reported.

The parish priest of the southern Lebanese town of Qlayaa, Father Pierre al-Rahi, has succumbed to his injuries after being wounded by Israeli artillery shelling that targeted a residential neighborhood in the town. After Israel announced the forcible displacement of the village,…

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) March 9, 2026

The Christian village had not previously been impacted by Israel’s war against Hezbollah, but according to the National News Agency (NNA) a home in the town was “hit twice in succession by artillery shelling from a hostile Merkava tank” on Monday. The Merkava tank (translated from Hebrew, meaning “chariot”) is Israel’s indigenous main battle tank used in the region.

In what has been dubbed a “double tap strike,” the first shelling wounded the husband and wife who owned the home, and then after Fr. al-Rahi, other neighbors and Red Cross paramedics rushed to the scene, the Israelis struck the house again, wounding the priest and three others.

According to media outlet Asharq Al-Awsat, a medical source revealed the Maronite priest died as a result of his injuries.

Ther remained no indication of the motive behind the attack on the residential home which was located on the town’s outskirts.

On Friday, Fr. al-Rahi participated in a local gathering held in the nearby town of Marjayoun. At the event, attendees expressed their firm resolve to stay in their homes, despite the Israeli army’s evacuation warnings directed at all residents living south of the Litani River—roughly 30 kilometers from the border with Israel.

During his speech at the event, al-Rahl is reported to have encouraged his fellow Lebanese saying: “When we defend our land, we defend it peacefully, and we carry only the weapons of peace, goodness, love and prayer.”

This is a developing story…