Operation Hiram: Cross‑Border Attacks, Civilian Harm, and Legal Violations (1948)

A Historical and Legal Documentation Report

I recorded this video two years ago because I realised this history was being forgotten, not only by non-Arabs but even by many Arabs, including Palestinians and Lebanese. It is rarely mentioned in Lebanon’s history books, and some officials try to hide it. Only recently have a few clips begun circulating, but these events have been documented for decades.

I recorded this video to document the Hiram massacre, one of the earliest attacks on Lebanon by European Jewish Zionists, and to share verified historical information.

My video includes some of the details; however, in the article, I will provide more information on Operation Hiram, carried out between 28 and 31 October 1948, when European jewish zionist military forces launched a large‑scale assault on the Upper Galilee and across the Lebanese border. The operation resulted in the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians, the depopulation of more than a dozen villages, and documented massacres in places such as:

• Hula (South Lebanon) – where dozens of civilians were executed after surrendering

• Salha – where more than 80 Palestinian civilians were killed inside the mosque

• Aitaroun – where civilians were killed, and the village was emptied

• Malkiyeh, Sasa’, Tarbikha, Nabi Yusha’, and others – depopulated through force

Historical records confirm that during the Hiram operation, European Jewish Zionist terrorists crossed into South Lebanon and carried out the Hula massacre, where between 35 and 58 Lebanese civilians were executed after being taken prisoner. This is the only fully documented Lebanese casualty figure available in the historical record. Other Lebanese villages, such as Aitaroun and Malkiyeh, were attacked, but the exact number of Lebanese civilians killed there has not been fully recorded in available sources.

These attacks extended into Lebanese territory years before Hezbollah existed, at a time when Lebanese civilians had no armed protection.

📜 Timeline of the Attacks on Lebanon During Operation Hiram

27–28 October 1948 — Pre‑Operation Movements

The zionist forces begin mobilising toward the Upper Galilee. Border villages in South Lebanon observe unusual terrorist movements and shelling near the frontier.

28 October 1948 — Operation Hiram Begins

A large‑scale assault is launched on Palestinian villages in the Upper Galilee. Fighting pushes northward toward the Lebanese border.

29 October 1948 — First Cross‑Border Incursions

Israeli units cross into South Lebanon for the first time during the operation. Aitaroun and the surrounding areas come under attack. Lebanese civilians flee; casualty numbers for this day are not fully recorded.

30 October 1948 — Expansion of Attacks

Zionist forces advance deeper into Lebanon. Malkiyeh village is attacked and depopulated. Lebanese civilians are displaced.

31 October 1948 — Hula Massacre Begins

Israeli forces enter Hula, a Lebanese village just across the border. Dozens of Lebanese men are detained after surrendering. Executions begin inside homes and storage buildings.

1 November 1948 — Hula Massacre Continues

Killings continue into the next day. Historical accounts document between 35 and 58 Lebanese civilians executed — the only fully confirmed Lebanese casualty figure for Operation Hiram.

Early November 1948 — Withdrawal

The zionist forces withdrew back into the occupied Palestine after securing the Upper Galilee. Lebanese villages remain depopulated or partially destroyed. Survivors report horrific stories of executions, forced displacement, and property destruction, as they did to Palestinian villages.

Under international law, many of the actions carried out during and after the massacre of Hiram have been documented by historians, human rights organisations, and United Nations bodies as violations of international humanitarian law. These include the murder of civilians, the destruction and depopulation of villages, and cross‑border attacks into Lebanon, typical terrorist acts that they have committed not long after committing the ongoing Nakba. Such acts fall under the prohibitions in the Fourth Geneva Convention, including:

•(Article 33) the prohibition of collective punishment

• (Article 49) the prohibition of forcible transfer or deportation of protected civilians

• (Articles 27–32) the obligation to protect civilians during military operations

- Multiple United Nations reports and historical records describe these events as grave breaches of international humanitarian law committed against people. These documented violations form part of the long historical record and continue to raise questions of accountability of the zionist entity’s crimes, justice, and the rights of displaced Palestinian in the diaspora and the occupied Palestine and Lebanese civilians.

One of the Lebanese resistance groups, called Hezbollah, emerged later, in a context when Lebanese in South Lebanon were facing repeated attacks, killings, and displacement. International law recognises the right of peoples under occupation to self‑defence, including Article 51 of the UN Charter, which affirms the right of self‑defence when a people are under armed attack by terrorists, such as the zionist entity.

What shocked me most was that the resistance I faced did not come only from outside. It also came from people I expected to stand with me. Women and men — including some who were close to me or had worked with me — chose rivalry over solidarity. Some felt threatened. After all, I was doing better than they were, because I lived the history of some of these massacres, and others even took my ideas as their own. I saw this behaviour from parts of the left as well, which was painful because I believed we shared the same values. This is why I now say: it is not “left versus right” — it is truth versus propaganda. I hope these people think about our future, our children’s future, and choose to be genuine.

We must work as a unified team, free from any affiliations that do not serve the public interest. We must act as one group with one clear adversary, and each of us contributes in their own way and through their own method. There is no “right” or “wrong” path — each person plays their role in their own way.

If this video had not been repeatedly restricted or removed on social media — and if some people had not opposed me — perhaps this history would be more widely known. My message is simple: we must work as a team to preserve our history and protect the truth. Your support in sharing this video is greatly appreciated.

Final note

I’m always open to giving talks, lectures, or seminars for anyone who genuinely wants to understand the culture, politics, and lived history of the Levant. And if there’s a topic I can’t cover myself, I’m more than happy to bring in people who were part of the history — people with real knowledge, real experience, and real memory.

If you want the truth, start with the people who lived it.

Your contribution to my work and support in keeping me going would be greatly appreciated.

Taghrid Al-Mawed. Writing from Wales, but with my soul in Palestine

Share widely — but please credit my writing