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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 'It's the worst moment the country has passed through' | 'It's the worst moment the country has passed through' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Madina Mustafa Ali (right) says she and her seven-month-old baby Amir will be staying on Beirut's Martyrs' Square as they have nowhere else to go | Madina Mustafa Ali (right) says she and her seven-month-old baby Amir will be staying on Beirut's Martyrs' Square as they have nowhere else to go |
| Madina Mustafa Ali (right) says she and her seven-month-old baby Amir will be staying on Beirut's Martyrs' Square as they have nowhere else to go | Madina Mustafa Ali (right) says she and her seven-month-old baby Amir will be staying on Beirut's Martyrs' Square as they have nowhere else to go |
| Published3 hours ago | |
| Lebanon is a country that knows war all too well. And it is not eager for more. | Lebanon is a country that knows war all too well. And it is not eager for more. |
| It still bears the scars of 15 years of civil war between 1975 and 1990, and of the last war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. | It still bears the scars of 15 years of civil war between 1975 and 1990, and of the last war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. |
| But for some, including Beirut's Governor Marwan Abboud, Israel’s recent escalation already feels worse. | But for some, including Beirut's Governor Marwan Abboud, Israel’s recent escalation already feels worse. |
| In the past 10 days, the country has endured mass casualties from exploding pagers and walkie-talkies, a wave of assassinations of Hezbollah military commanders, devastating air strikes - and the use of bunker-busting bombs in Beirut, which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday. | In the past 10 days, the country has endured mass casualties from exploding pagers and walkie-talkies, a wave of assassinations of Hezbollah military commanders, devastating air strikes - and the use of bunker-busting bombs in Beirut, which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday. |
| Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud (right) told BBC's Orla Guerin (left) that it was "the saddest day of my life" | Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud (right) told BBC's Orla Guerin (left) that it was "the saddest day of my life" |
| Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud (right) told BBC's Orla Guerin (left) that it was "the saddest day of my life" | Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud (right) told BBC's Orla Guerin (left) that it was "the saddest day of my life" |
| "It’s the worst moment that the country passed through," said Abboud, who has no connection with Hezbollah. | "It’s the worst moment that the country passed through," said Abboud, who has no connection with Hezbollah. |
| "I feel sad. I am shocked by the large number of civilian casualties. I am also shocked by the silence of the international community - as if what’s happening here does not mean anything." | "I feel sad. I am shocked by the large number of civilian casualties. I am also shocked by the silence of the international community - as if what’s happening here does not mean anything." |
| US and allies call for 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon | US and allies call for 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon |
| US and allies call for 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon | US and allies call for 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon |
| What might Hezbollah, Israel and Iran do next? | What might Hezbollah, Israel and Iran do next? |
| What might Hezbollah, Israel and Iran do next? | What might Hezbollah, Israel and Iran do next? |
| Follow live: Nasrallah's killing is 'historic turning point', Netanyahu says | Follow live: Nasrallah's killing is 'historic turning point', Netanyahu says |
| Follow live: Nasrallah's killing is 'historic turning point', Netanyahu says | Follow live: Nasrallah's killing is 'historic turning point', Netanyahu says |
| We spoke at the edge of Beirut’s Martyrs Square, where many families slept in the open last night after fleeing Israel’s strikes in the southern suburb of Dahieh - Hezbollah's heartland. | We spoke at the edge of Beirut’s Martyrs Square, where many families slept in the open last night after fleeing Israel’s strikes in the southern suburb of Dahieh - Hezbollah's heartland. |
| They remain in the square today - unsure where to turn for safety, like many in Lebanon. | They remain in the square today - unsure where to turn for safety, like many in Lebanon. |
| Asked what he thought Israel’s plan was, the governor replied: "I don't know but Israel wants to kill and to kill and to kill. May god protect this country." | Asked what he thought Israel’s plan was, the governor replied: "I don't know but Israel wants to kill and to kill and to kill. May god protect this country." |
| His parting words were bleak. "It’s the saddest day of my life," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. | His parting words were bleak. "It’s the saddest day of my life," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. |
| At the location of one Israeli strike in Beirut, smoke is seen rising from the ruins of what appeared to be a factory | At the location of one Israeli strike in Beirut, smoke is seen rising from the ruins of what appeared to be a factory |
| At the location of one Israeli strike in Beirut, smoke is seen rising from the ruins of what appeared to be a factory | At the location of one Israeli strike in Beirut, smoke is seen rising from the ruins of what appeared to be a factory |
| A few steps away we met an extended family, sitting on bare concrete, under the harsh morning sun. | A few steps away we met an extended family, sitting on bare concrete, under the harsh morning sun. |
| Madina Mustafa Ali was rocking her seven-month-old baby Amir in her lap and reliving the trauma of Friday night. | Madina Mustafa Ali was rocking her seven-month-old baby Amir in her lap and reliving the trauma of Friday night. |
| "There was an explosion, and we got scared, especially for the children. So we ran away and came here. This is where we slept," she said. | "There was an explosion, and we got scared, especially for the children. So we ran away and came here. This is where we slept," she said. |
| She told me the family will stay in the square for now because they have nowhere else to go. | She told me the family will stay in the square for now because they have nowhere else to go. |
| Others are fleeing, some heading to the north of Lebanon. The south of the country is not an option - it's being hit hard. | Others are fleeing, some heading to the north of Lebanon. The south of the country is not an option - it's being hit hard. |
| A flag with a photo late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut | A flag with a photo late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut |
| A flag with a photo late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut | A flag with a photo late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut |
| Driving through the city we saw families on the move, some crammed into cars with thin mattresses strapped to the roof, others piled onto motorbikes. | Driving through the city we saw families on the move, some crammed into cars with thin mattresses strapped to the roof, others piled onto motorbikes. |
| Here and there, we saw people on foot carrying a few belongings. | Here and there, we saw people on foot carrying a few belongings. |
| This is the new landscape of Beirut: boarded-up shops, fewer people, and more fear - especially since Nasrallah’s killing was confirmed. | This is the new landscape of Beirut: boarded-up shops, fewer people, and more fear - especially since Nasrallah’s killing was confirmed. |
| Throughout the day, plumes of dark smoke billowed from Dahieh. The Hezbollah stronghold looked much weakened today - the two busiest streets were largely deserted, and many apartment blocks looked empty. | Throughout the day, plumes of dark smoke billowed from Dahieh. The Hezbollah stronghold looked much weakened today - the two busiest streets were largely deserted, and many apartment blocks looked empty. |
| We spotted Hezbollah members, guarding an air strike location, one brandishing a Kalashnikov. A sign of tension, or desperation - as normally the armed group doesn't show its weapons on the streets. | We spotted Hezbollah members, guarding an air strike location, one brandishing a Kalashnikov. A sign of tension, or desperation - as normally the armed group doesn't show its weapons on the streets. |
| Hezbollah was not watching our every move today - they were more focused perhaps on the threat from above. | Hezbollah was not watching our every move today - they were more focused perhaps on the threat from above. |
| We, too, were keeping an eye on the skies, where there were drones. | We, too, were keeping an eye on the skies, where there were drones. |
| At the location of one Israeli strike, we saw smoke still rising from the ruins of what appeared to be a factory. We were told it made kitchen roll, and there was plenty of that shredded on the ground. | At the location of one Israeli strike, we saw smoke still rising from the ruins of what appeared to be a factory. We were told it made kitchen roll, and there was plenty of that shredded on the ground. |
| Lebanon has been rendered a war zone, but there are risks growing for the entire Middle East. And plenty of questions. | Lebanon has been rendered a war zone, but there are risks growing for the entire Middle East. And plenty of questions. |
| Will Hezbollah hit back hard at Israel? Can it? | Will Hezbollah hit back hard at Israel? Can it? |
| Will its Iranian backers intervene? Until now they have been in no rush. | Will its Iranian backers intervene? Until now they have been in no rush. |
| And will Tehran's other regional proxies - in Iraq, Syria and Yemen - get more involved? | And will Tehran's other regional proxies - in Iraq, Syria and Yemen - get more involved? |
| Related topics | Related topics |
| Middle East | Middle East |
| Israel | Israel |
| Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah | Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah |
| Lebanon | Lebanon |
| Beirut | Beirut |