10th March 2026/News/SUNTV Global Channel reporting
A Maronite Catholic priest has been killed in southern Lebanon after Israeli tank shelling struck a Christian community near the Israeli border, according to reports from Catholic media.
The victim, Father Pierre al-Rahi—also known as Pierre el-Rai—was killed during Israeli military strikes on the village of Qlayaa in Lebanon’s Marjayoun district, a few miles from the Israeli border.
According to Catholic news service OSV News, the priest had refused an Israeli evacuation order and chose to remain in the village to continue serving members of his congregation who had not fled the area.
Father Jean Younes, Secretary-General of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon, confirmed the priest’s death.
“Father Pierre al-Rahi was from my village, Dibeh, but he was the parish priest of Qlayaa in Marjayoun,” Younes said. “Unfortunately, he passed away. God bless his soul.”
Qlayaa is known as a predominantly Maronite Christian community and previously had a population of about 8,000 residents before escalating cross-border violence forced many to flee.
The priest’s death comes amid intensified Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, where several towns close to the border have experienced heavy shelling and displacement of civilians.
Reacting to the incident, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sorrow over the rising civilian casualties in the Middle East. In a message released through the Vatican’s Telegram channel, the pontiff said he felt “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 Vatican added that the Pope is closely following developments in the region and is praying for an immediate end to hostilities.
Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border have escalated in recent days, with Israel launching strikes in Lebanese territory following attacks attributed to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which said its actions were in solidarity with Iran.
The killing of Father al-Rahi has sparked concern among Lebanon’s Christian community and religious leaders as civilians continue to be caught in the widening conflict.
Reporting by SUNTV Global Channel.
