Lebanese government and civilians caught in middle of renewed Israel-Hezbollah conflict

Geoff Bennett:

Now to Lebanon.

Israel continued waves of heavy airstrikes in the capital, Beirut, after Hezbollah began firing on Israel earlier this week in support of its patron, Iran. Nearly 85,000 people in the city have been displaced already, according to the government of Lebanon. The Israeli military has started a ground incursion into Southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said that the group -- quote -- "will not surrender no matter the sacrifices."

Special correspondent Simona Foltyn met with the people fleeing the bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs and sent us this report.

Simona Foltyn:

The war has returned to Beirut, with civilians once again bearing the brunt. Tens of thousands have run from Israel's punishing bombing campaign, many seeking safety in schools repurposed into shelters.

Reema Shaheen fled Beirut's southern suburbs in the middle of the night with her husband two children, and her 2-year-old granddaughter, Matilda, still dressed in her pink pajamas. They left everything behind.

Reema Shaheen, Displaced Beirut Resident (through interpreter):

We were bombed without any warning. It was 3:00 in the morning. We didn't take any clothes or anything else. We just grabbed the girl and some milk and diapers and we left.

Simona Foltyn:

Reema supports Hezbollah's decision to reenter the war. For more than a year, the Iran-backed group had largely complied with a cease-fire agreed in November 2024, showing restraint even as Israel committed daily violations.

Reema Shaheen (through interpreter):

We respected the cease-fire for a year-and-a-half. Israel didn't. Israel does what it wants. They attack every day as they please.

Simona Foltyn:

Hezbollah supporters felt the situation was untenable.

Reema Shaheen (through interpreter):

The situation in the south was bad, but we were also not doing well. There was no work. When your children leave the house, you worry they won't come back. Even for us in Beirut, this was not a safe way to live.

Simona Foltyn:

Hezbollah was weakened after the last round of fighting. Much of its weaponry was destroyed in Israeli strikes or later confiscated by the Lebanese army. Many hoped it would sit this war out.

But Hezbollah resumed its operations on Sunday to support Iran, claiming responsibility in videos like these for targeting military installations in Israel. These attacks have inflicted little to no damage, while Israel's response has been devastating. Fighter jets have pummeled residential areas. And, on Wednesday the IDF issued a blanket forced evacuation order for all of Lebanon's south as it began a fresh ground incursion.

The Lebanese government has been powerless to stop the spiral of violence. In a last-ditch effort to force Hezbollah to stand down, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced an unprecedented Cabinet decision.

Nawaf Salam, Lebanese Prime Minister (through interpreter):

The Lebanese government calls for the immediate banning of all of Hezbollah's security and military activities, as it is considered against the law to give up its weapons to the Lebanese state.

Simona Foltyn:

But Hezbollah has ignored the government, and the whole country is paying the price. In Beirut, Israeli strikes have spread beyond Hezbollah's areas of influence.

This residential apartment building was targeted in an Israeli strike on Monday evening, around the time when people were breaking their fast, and it happened without a warning. Now, this is a pretty affluent neighborhood. We're pretty close to the Mediterranean Sea, and it's not typically considered a Hezbollah stronghold.

There is no military infrastructure here, although some Hezbollah members do reside here, and we can see that Hezbollah personnel have now secured the strike location. And I spoke to one of the guards here, who told me that in total six people were killed in the strike, one of whom was a member of Hezbollah, and five of the victims were reportedly civilians, including children. Now,

we can't independently verify that information, but what we do know is that, in the wake of this attack, many civilians fled this area in fear of additional strikes.

Many of the displaced are struggling to find a place to sleep. This family has been camping out in Beirut's Martyrs' Square for two nights, no roof over their heads, only blankets to shield them from the cold.

Ahmed Mazloum, Displaced Beirut Resident (through interpreter):

Nobody is looking out for us. Nobody answers when we try to call. May God help us find a place, a school, a house. Whoever we ask doesn't have space, and we don't have the money to rent a place.

Simona Foltyn:

Even among Hezbollah's constituents, dismay is growing, though few dare to state it explicitly. Ahmed says his family can't withstand another round of displacement.

Ahmed Mazloum (through interpreter):

The people are tired. It's impossible. This is the second time we have been displaced.

Simona Foltyn:

There is growing consensus among Lebanon's population that this country has nothing to gain and everything to lose from this war.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Simona Foltyn in Beirut.