Lebanese Families Seek Shelter in Schools Amid Escalating Conflict
Families in Lebanon are fleeing their homes and taking refuge in schools as the government condemns Hezbollah's recent strike on Israel as illegal. This follows a deadly escalation that has seen Israeli strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs, prompting civilians to evacuate from the south and the capital's outskirts.
Casualties and Government Response
According to Lebanon's Health Ministry, overnight strikes resulted in at least 31 fatalities and 149 injuries in the Beirut suburbs and southern regions. In a strong statement on Monday, the Lebanese government criticized Hezbollah's decision to enter the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, labeling the group's actions unlawful and demanding it surrender its weapons.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized after an emergency Cabinet meeting that only the state should have authority over matters of war and peace. He announced a ban on Hezbollah's military activities and called on security agencies to prevent missile or drone launches from Lebanon, marking the government's toughest stance yet against the militant group, which also holds political power in parliament.
Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis
Highways were congested overnight and into Monday as people fled what has been described as Israel's deadliest barrage on Lebanon in over a year. This came hours after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border for the first time in more than a year. At a public school converted into a temporary shelter, families arrived with mattresses, plastic bags, and clothing bundles, while others waited outside with their belongings.
Volunteers worked to register names as classrooms and courtyards filled with displaced individuals. Hussein Abu Ali, who escaped a southern Beirut suburb with his family, recounted the terrifying moment of the strikes, saying, "My son began shaking and crying. Where are you supposed to go? I stepped outside, then back in because I was afraid of shooting in the air. I gathered my children and went down to the street."
Nadia Al‑Salman, displaced from the southern town of Majdal Zoun, stated they left their homes "not out of fear or terror of the United States, but to fulfill our religious and legal duty to protect ourselves." She added, "They do not intimidate or frighten us, and they will not make us retreat even an inch from the path of resistance."
Historical Context and Escalation
During the previous Israel-Hezbollah war in 2024, over a million people were displaced in Lebanon, with many still unable to return to their ruined villages along the border. Hezbollah initiated rocket attacks into Israel a day after Hamas's assault on southern Israel in October 2023, sparking the Gaza war. After months of low-level fighting, the conflict intensified into a full-scale war in September 2024, temporarily halted by a U.S.-brokered ceasefire two months later.
Since that ceasefire, Israel has conducted near-daily strikes in Lebanon, aiming to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding. Monday's escalation marked the first time in over a year that Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing into Israel, citing retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and "repeated Israeli aggressions" as a "legitimate defensive response."
Military Warnings and Regional Tensions
The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for residents in around 50 communities across southern and eastern Lebanon. Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated that Israel is keeping "all options on the table," including a potential ground invasion, and warned that "Hezbollah will pay a very heavy price." He noted that Israel has mobilized over 100,000 reservists since the war with Iran began on Saturday.
This ongoing conflict highlights the deepening humanitarian crisis and political divisions in Lebanon, as civilians bear the brunt of the violence while the government struggles to assert control over militant factions.
