The Israeli campaign in Lebanon has escalated dramatically since 2 March, with entire families wiped out and towns emptied at a pace surpassing any previous war in the country. In Al-Nimiriya, an airstrike collapsed a two-storey building, killing eight members of the Hamdan family, including three generations, moments after they broke their Ramadan fast. No warning was given, according to a neighbour and local police officer.
At least 773 Lebanese, including more than 100 children, have been killed in 11 days. In Nabi Chit, 41 people died in five hours on a single day, and 18 were killed overnight in Sir el-Gharbiyeh. Relative to population, this death toll is equivalent to more than 9,200 deaths in the UK or 45,600 in the US over the same period.
The conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, prompting widespread Israeli airstrikes. About one million people have been displaced, and bombing has reached deep into Beirut. In Nabatieh, a town of 90,000, only about 150 families remain. First responders like Ali Hariri and Abbas Fahad navigate deserted streets, counting casualties at strike sites. Hariri noted that the building behind his aid centre was destroyed, but he insists on staying to help.
Hariri expressed concern about a possible ground invasion, recalling Israel’s 1982 push to Beirut. As a warplane approached, he urged a journalist to leave, saying the jets’ arrival meant a target had been found. Shortly after, Israel issued a displacement order for a wide area.
