The War in Lebanon
Lebanon | October 2024
The recent war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah is closely linked to escalating regional tensions, particularly the ongoing conflict in Gaza. What began as minor hostilities after October 7, 2023, spiraled into full-scale conflict by September 2024. Hezbollah fired rockets into several Israeli cities, prompting a swift and devastating response from Israel’s air force. A wave of airstrikes culminated in the killing of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah, a figure of profound symbolic importance. Israeli forces launched extensive bombing campaigns, targeting Hezbollah strongholds and civilian infrastructure alike, leaving large swaths of Lebanon in ruins. The crisis deepened with an Israeli ground incursion along the border, further aggravating the humanitarian catastrophe and escalating civilian suffering.
The conflict claimed over 3,500 lives and left thousands wounded. Southern Lebanon and border regions bore the brunt of the destruction, as Israeli airstrikes reduced homes, schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure to rubble. Civilians paid the highest price, with more than 1.2 million people forced to flee, seeking refuge wherever they could.
International mediators secured a tenuous ceasefire by late November, but tensions remain on edge. Both sides have declared victory, yet the wounds of war remain fresh. Thousands of displaced individuals face immense challenges returning to shattered communities, while the sheer scale of devastation hampers efforts to rebuild. Though the truce offers a momentary pause in hostilities, its durability is far from assured, as the specter of renewed conflict looms over a region still grappling with entrenched divisions and unresolved disputes.
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The War in Lebanon, Oct. 2024. Covered for Stern, Il Fatto, AFP, De Volkstrant, La Repubblica, and Corriere’s magazine Style.