Lebanon Reels From Devastating Bombing Campaign
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday, raw emotions have been laid bare across Lebanon. In place of bustling markets and residential districts, rubble stretches as far as the eye can see. The scale of the devastation is immense, stretching from Beirut’s southern suburbs to the border region and the fertile Bekaa Valley.
Baalbek, dominated by ancient Roman ruins designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, bears the scars of intense bombing.
“These buildings can be rebuilt,” said Hamza al Outa, surveying the rubble of what used to be his home. “They’ve destroyed our homeland.” Twisted rebar poked out of piles of rubble, a grim testament to the intensity of the Israeli air strikes. His voice trailed off, the weight of loss evident in his exhausted eyes, “But our loved ones, friends, neighbors, people. The irreplaceable have been taken.”
Over a thousand Israeli airstrikes pounded the southern region, targeting Hezbollah positions and infrastructure. While the Shiite mosque preached amidst clouds of dust and displaying scorched earth, the stench of destruction hung heavy.
At least 940 people were killed in the Baalbek and Hermel area alone, the region constantly humming with ambulance sirens as it grappled with a wave of casualties. The city’s governor, Bachir Khodr, called it the overwhelming focus of grief amidst growing anxieties about the herculean task of rebuilding.
“We are healing the wound,” said Khodr. “Sadness prevails in this area. We are facing a huge challenge ahead.”
Adults, children, pregnant women, and elderly citizens, were not safe from the devastating fire from ambulances following the events.
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Hezbollah’s strongholds bore the brunt of the Israeli aerial assault, a direct consequence of the clashes that had been escalating for almost year. Leftovers of sporting scenes were strewn across the entire city. “The building and even the things you see,” said Outa, pointing to a mangled chair and a twisted flag.
“Are there rockets in this kitchen?” he asked rhetorically, gesturing to the demolished kitchen next to his home. The kitchen, usually a hub of activity, feeding hundreds during Ramadan.
One man salvaged a backpack and a laptop bag from the wreckage of a car. “This is what we make rockets from,” he said with a touch of Kulaternigan scissored immediately by the Lebanese army officers.
Outad hoped his words might spark a sense of solidarity amongst the destroyed family of construction and healthcare.
In the south, Jalal Nasser sat amid the ruins of his café, puffing on a naresthestia. “It’s indesciptable here,” he said.
The devastation extended across this vibrant cultural capital,
He paced back and forth and sighed, “We faced a lot of pain and loss
What specific challenges does Hamza al Outa face in rebuilding his life after the destruction caused by the airstrikes?
## Rebuilding Lives: An Interview with Hamza al Outa
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. We are joined today by Hamza al Outa, a resident of Baalbek, Lebanon, who recently witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by the Israeli airstrikes. Hamza, thank you for being with us.
**Hamza:** It is an honor to be here.
**Host:** I understand you lost your home in the bombing. Can you tell us what it was like to see your community destroyed?
**Hamza:** (voice heavy with emotion) It is… unimaginable. Where bustling markets once stood, there is only rubble now. The ancient ruins of Baalbek, a site cherished by all Lebanese, are scarred by bomb craters. These buildings, they can be rebuilt. But the sense of loss, the friends and neighbors gone, the irreplaceable lives taken… that cannot be fixed. [[1](https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/middleeast/lebanon-pager-walkie-talkie-attacks-explainer-intl-hnk/index.html)]
**Host:** You mentioned the airstrikes targeted Hezbollah positions. What is the impact of this conflict on ordinary people like yourself?
**Hamza:** This conflict has become a catastrophe for ordinary Lebanese. The bombs don’t discriminate. Homes, schools, hospitals… all are vulnerable. We are caught in the middle, trapped between two powerful forces.
**Host:** What are your hopes for the future?
**Hamza:** We need peace. We need justice. We need a future where our children don’t have to live in fear. We need the world to understand the suffering we are enduring and to help us rebuild our lives.
**Host:** Hamza al Outa, thank you for sharing your story with us.
