Fear spreads across Lebanon as Israeli ground invasion nears

As Israeli airstrikes continue to pound southern Lebanon, thousands of families are being forced to leave their homes, searching for safety in any place they can find. Once-peaceful areas, untouched by the conflict, are now being transformed into shelters for those fleeing the violence.

Even as the Israeli Defense Forces say their strikes are aimed only at Hezbollah targets, fear is spreading fast with residents wondering if their homes might be caught in the crossfire next.

Parks, sidewalks, and even spaces under bridges have turned into makeshift shelters for thousands fleeing southern Lebanon, desperate to escape Israeli airstrikes.

Overlooking the capital on Mount Lebanon is Bayssour.

This relatively quiet community has now become a refuge for many displaced families, who, like countless others, fear they could be the next target of the escalating conflict.

"The reality is, when it comes to a country like Israel, no one is truly safe," one man told me. "I don't think anyone can feel secure dealing with a country like that. We're facing a situation where displacement in our region has become severe. It could be 1,000 people today, maybe 5,000 tomorrow if things get worse. No one really knows. But one thing we do know is that with Israel, safety is an illusion."

Another man had a similar story. "The violence Israel unleashes on any target is horrifying, and in every village, every town, every Lebanese person feels that fear." He added: "I'll be honest: leaving would mean abandoning our homes and our country. We asked for help, like any nation would. Who wouldn't be afraid? Of course, we're scared, especially for the children and women. We've witnessed mothers during moments of martyrdom."

Further north, a Sunni village called Kayfoun is also a community which has nothing to do with the conflict. But as the violence spreads into areas previously untouched, locals here are considering leaving their homes, fearing they could be drawn into the crossfire of a war they never imagined reaching them.

In Saida, Lebanon's third largest city, a scared woman told me there were 13,000 displaced people in the city, "scattered across homes, schools, centers - anywhere we can find space." She added: "The fear? It's indescribable. This time feels so different from previous wars. It's like we're living on the edge day by day, not knowing when the next strike will hit, or worse, if the next one will be the deadliest."

So far, this conflict has claimed the lives of over 1,000 people, including women and children, and injured thousands of others. Families have been torn apart, and entire communities are living in fear, unsure of what tomorrow will bring.

Amid the devastation, even basic necessities like food, water, and medical care are becoming harder to find. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and aid organizations are struggling to keep up with the rising number of casualties.

In places like Bayssour and Kayfoun, once far from the conflict, people now live in fear, worried that their communities could soon be pulled into the violence.

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