“A frail elderly man repeatedly voiced his disapproval of Netanyahu and America as he surveyed the wreckage surrounding him. It was the fallout of a devastating air strike, one of two twin strikes, representing the most lethal assault on central Beirut since the inception of the Israeli invasion on Lebanon. Lebanese authorities confirmed that Thursday night’s strike claimed at minimum 22 civilians’ lives and left approximately 117 individuals wounded.
Beirut, a city devoid of air raid alarms, was given no forewarning before deafening blasts rattled window panes, triggering panic amongst residents. Both Al-Manar television, linked with Hizbullah, and Israeli news outlets reported the operation was intended to liquidate Hizbullah official, Wafiq Safa. Contradictingly, it appears he survived the attempts on his life.
Instead, the non-combatant dwellers of Lebanon’s capital were once again consumed by fear, painfully acknowledging that a new urban suburb, previously deemed secure, had now morphed into a potential danger zone. A residential block was flattened whilst another saw two of its floors obliterated.
Israel’s continued offensive against the alleged Hizbullah encampments is unrelenting. The recent intensification has resulted in an estimated death toll exceeding 1,500 since mid-September, as per the data from the Lebanese health ministry. The Lebanon Supreme Defence Council further highlights that Israeli air offensives have exceeded 9,400 instances since the previous year’s October.
Throughout Friday, the persistent drone of Israeli aircraft echoed above as rescue crews worked diligently amid the debris. Some pedestrians muttered prayers under their breath. A woman sporting sandals and a leopard print coat had tears streaking down her cheeks.
Opposite the primary detonation site, a group of young men rummaged through a disheveled wardrobe in a wall-less room, attempting to salvage what remained of their clothes. After packing away a rug into a black bag, one attempted to reach in once more, only for the wardrobe to topple over, engulfed in a cloud of debris.
The neighbouring road bore the wreckage of at least six vehicles, their metal and glass components mangled and intertwined. One annihilated residential block displayed family photographs amidst the ruins, while a child’s pink plush toy dangled precariously from another.
At the secondary explosion location, a soldier lined up four small, vibrantly coloured birds on a car’s bonnet – all casualties found amongst the damaged structures.”
Nader, a native 26-year-old, who preferred to be addressed by only his first name, expressed the sense of shock penetrating through his community. He holds the strong conviction that Israel is deliberating its strikes on civilian zones to exert a choking pressure on Hizbullah, with an ultimate scheme to make their fellow citizens rise against them.
His message to all is that the war isn’t against Hizbullah but is essentially against the common folk. It’s a struggle of resistance. The clear agenda is to shatter the spirit, annihilate the citizens and reduce their lands to ruins, according to him.
“There’s no such thing as a peaceful night’s sleep here…the constant intimidation and onslaught of destruction and death have a horrific impact on our emotional and mental well-being.
“The global community needs to realise the implications of continuing their support to Israel. It can only be branded as utterly disgraceful… Their silence on these atrocities; where will that lead us if the situation deteriorates further? What do they anticipate as the reaction of the common folks?” he queried.
Nader was of the view that advocating for a ceasefire without censuring Israel for their acts in Gaza and Lebanon would not drive any genuine progress.
“The world should consider imposing sanctions on Israel… If this brutal assault persists, it will only breed a cycle of daily genocides,” he warned.