Beirut: In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah’s yellow flag waved solemnly atop the debris of what was once Nabatieh’s bustling old market. In the east, near Baalbek’s ancient Roman ruins, rubble similarly replaced a historic building, leaving behind scars of destruction.
Following the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah on Wednesday, Lebanese citizens are surveying the widespread devastation across the country. Areas from Beirut’s southern suburbs to the southern border and the Bekaa Valley bear the marks of relentless Israeli airstrikes.
In Baalbek, near the Syrian border, Hamza al-Outa stood amidst the ruins of his home, one of a dozen buildings obliterated in the neighborhood. Twisted metal and shattered bricks bore testimony to the destruction. “These buildings can be rebuilt. They’re not important,” he said. “But our loved ones, friends, neighbors, companions, people—the homeland has been destroyed.”
Strikes Leave Lasting Damage
The Israeli army claimed its strikes in the Baalbek area targeted Hezbollah, the armed Lebanese group that had been exchanging fire with Israel for nearly a year. Israeli forces intensified their offensive in September, targeting sites across Lebanon.
Baalbek, a predominantly Shi’ite Muslim region where Hezbollah wields significant influence, bore heavy losses. The strikes in the Baalbek-Hermel region killed 940 people and wounded 1,520, according to the area’s governor, Bachir Khodr. This accounts for nearly a quarter of the national death toll reported by Lebanese authorities.
Khodr detailed the scale of the assault, saying the region endured 1,260 airstrikes. Among the losses was the Ottoman-era al-Manshiya building, located near Baalbek’s UNESCO-listed Roman ruins. Officials from Lebanon’s culture ministry plan to inspect potential damage to the ruins in the coming week.
Outa, whose home was destroyed, also lost his large-scale kitchen, which had served 2,500 people daily during Ramadan. “Are there rockets in this kitchen?” he asked bitterly, as he assessed the wreckage.
In a grim moment, another man salvaged a laptop bag and backpack from a mangled car’s trunk. “This is what we make rockets from,” he said sarcastically, hoisting the bags for journalists atop a mound of rubble.
An Uncertain Path Forward
Governor Khodr described the collective grief in the region, saying, “We’re healing the wound … sadness prevails in this area.” Hundreds of buildings have been reduced to rubble, leaving the community anxious about reconstruction efforts.
“The big question that’s worrying people is the subject of reconstruction: until now, we have nothing clear on this subject,” Khodr said. With Lebanon’s financial system in shambles after a five-year economic crisis, rebuilding seems an insurmountable task.
A preliminary World Bank assessment estimates that over 99,000 homes have been partially or fully damaged, with reconstruction costs exceeding $2.8 billion—an amount the struggling Lebanese government cannot afford.
Also Read | Behind the Fragile Peace: The Talks That Ended Lebanon’s Turmoil
In Nabatieh, café owner Jalal Nasser reflected on the destruction of his business while seated amidst its ruins. “It’s an indescribable feeling,” he said, but expressed resilience, calling it a “victory.” “We are still standing on our feet,” he added.
Nabatieh Hospital’s director, Hassan Wazni, described his city as unrecognizable due to the destruction. During the conflict, his hospital treated around 1,200 casualties. “Nabatieh is totally different. It’s very sad. We feel shocked about everything,” Wazni said.
Meanwhile, Omar Bakhit, a Sudanese resident of Nabatieh for over two decades, sifted through the ruins with his bare hands. “Everything is destroyed, the house and the things, as you can see,” he said solemnly. “Everything is lost.”
