The ancient streets of Beirut are gripped by a familiar, chilling fear. As tensions between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah reach a dangerous boiling point, it is Lebanon's civilian population, particularly its Christian community, that braces for a catastrophe they feel powerless to prevent.
In exclusive interviews with The Independent, Christian leaders and residents in Beirut expressed a profound sense of dread, not just of a potential war, but of being dragged into a sectarian conflict that could tear the fragile nation apart. Their neighbourhoods, which have largely remained on the sidelines of previous conflicts, now fear becoming collateral damage in a fight they do not want.
A City Holding Its Breath
The source of their anxiety is the escalating cycle of retaliatory strikes across the Lebanon-Israel border. Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political and military organisation, began launching rockets into northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas following the 7 October attacks. Israel's military has responded with intense airstrikes targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure deep inside Lebanese territory.
This volatile exchange has displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border and raised the spectre of a full-scale war that many believe would be far more devastating than the conflict in Gaza.
"We Will Be the First Victims"
For Lebanon's Christians, who make up a significant portion of the country's population, the stakes are unbearably high. One resident poignantly captured the collective sentiment, stating they feel utterly "powerless and voiceless" in the face of the looming threat.
Their greatest fear is that an all-out war would inevitably ignite long-simmering sectarian tensions within Lebanon itself, pitting its diverse religious groups against one another and shattering the precarious peace that has held since the end of the Lebanese Civil War.
Many accuse Hezbollah of unilaterally dragging the entire nation into a conflict without a national consensus, a move they see as sacrificing Lebanon's stability for the interests of its patron, Iran.
The International Stakes
The situation presents a formidable challenge for international diplomacy. Western governments are urgently engaged in efforts to de-escalate the situation, attempting to broker a deal that would push Hezbollah forces back from the border and reinforce the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL.
However, Hezbollah's leadership has thus far refused to entertain any discussions about a truce until the war in Gaza concludes, leaving the entire region in a perilous state of limbo. The world watches and waits, hoping to avert another bloody chapter in the complex and troubled history of the Middle East.
