Footage of a Lebanese woman confronting an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon has been shared thousands of times on social media, with observers praising her act of defiance.
The videos posted online on Sunday were taken as displaced residents in the village of Maroun el-Ras confronted Israeli forces who had remained in the area in violation of the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
The woman can be seen standing with her arms stretched while shouting at the Israeli forces, who she dares to open fire. Shots from the Israeli soldiers can be heard firing off in the background.
“Go back to your country. Go back to your family!” she can be heard saying.
Other videos show her standing within reach of the tank, where she appears to be addressing the soldiers inside.
“This is what courage looks like,” wrote one X user in response.
“No wonder why some folks cannot be defeated,” said another.
Others highlighted the real danger posed to the woman, as dead and injured Lebanese civilians shot by Israeli forces were being evacuated just metres away.
Lone, defiant Lebanese woman stands face to face with an Israeli Merkava tank in occupied South Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/hyfRPDQgxV
— روني الدنماركي (@Aldanmarki) January 26, 2025
The woman, later identified as southern Lebanon resident Zahraa al-Kobeisi, posted a video to X explaining the incident.
“I was walking on our land, and as soon as the occupation tanks spotted me, they started shooting and ordered me to retreat. I raised the victory sign in their faces and headed towards them without fear,” al-Kobeisi said.
She added that soldiers got out of a vehicle and surrounded her, telling her to move or seek medical attention for a wound to her head.
“They asked me to retreat and move away. I refused. They told me that I was bleeding and that I had to go to the hospital. I refused, and I told them that I was standing on my land, and I would bleed on it and be killed on it, and I was very proud,” she said.
In other videos posted of al-Kobeisi, she can be seen with blood dripping down her forehead.Â
Israel was due to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon on 27 January – a day which saw troops kill at least 22 people and wound over 100. Among the dead and injured were women, children, one Lebanese soldier and a paramedic.
Residents of the border area had defied Israeli orders not to return to their homes as the 60-day-deadline stipulated by the ceasefire agreement came to an end on Sunday. Israeli forces responded with deadly violence, however were forced to withdraw from some occupied villages.
On Monday, hundreds of residents of the border area continued to defy Israeli orders and returned to their homes.
