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Time has stopped in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, as its inhabitants wait for a war that has yet to begin.
Following Hamas's attack in Israel on October 7 that kicked off a massive escalation of violence in Gaza, the southern border of Lebanon has been the site of tit-for-tat clashes between Iran-backed Hezbollah and an ally of the Palestinian militant group on one side, and Israel on the other.
Beirut residents told The National they are fearful of what could come next, as some governments, including Canada and the US, have advised their citizens to leave.
The skirmishes Israel and Hezbollah, which have resulted in dozens of fatalities, including civilians, have been contained so far, as the two sides loosely follow the so-called rules of engagement, which have prevented escalation since a full-blown war in 2006.
However, the situation could shift in an instant: a ground invasion of Gaza – which could potentially lead to Hezbollah and its primary backer, Iran, coming to the rescue of Hamas – or miscalculation by either side could lead the entire nation to be pulled into the conflict.
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Palestinians check the damage at the site of Israeli strikes on houses in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
Israeli soldiers and military vehicles near the border with Gaza. EPA -
Palestinians injured in Israeli air raids arrive at Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. Getty Images -
Protesters call for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 attack. AFP -
The protest was held near the headquarters of the Israeli Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv. AFP -
Smoke and flames rise from buildings after an Israeli strike on Gaza City. AFP -
Destruction in Gaza City after an Israeli air strike. AFP -
A wounded Palestinian is taken into Al Shifa hospital after Israeli air strikes on Gaza City. AP -
Israelis at a cemetery in Holon during a funeral take cover as a siren warns of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. AP -
Posters of hostages abducted by Hamas form part of an installation consisting of 224 light pillars erected by the Jerusalem municipality outside Teddy Stadium. AFP -
Supporters of Palestine hold a rally in New York's financial district to demand that American financial institutions stop financing weapons manufacturing. AFP -
Army rescue crews assess the damage after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a building in Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel. Getty Images -
Israeli strikes as seen from a tent camp sheltering displaced Palestinians. Reuters -
Israeli armoured vehicles take part in an operation, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, at a location given as the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
A Palestinian man is comforted as he mourns the death of his daughter and his wife, who were killed by Israeli strikes. Reuters -
Satellite view of damaged areas in the Beit Hanoun district of Gaza as a result of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Reuters -
Beit Hanoun was hit by Israeli missiles. Reuters -
Two brothers on a stretcher after being rescued from beneath the rubble of a destroyed area in Gaza. EPA -
Israeli security forces gather along a cordoned-off street where an apartment building was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza, in Rishon LeZion, near Tel Aviv. AFP -
Rescuers in front of an apartment building hit by a rocket in the Israeli city of Rishon LeZion. AFP -
Red Crescent Society employees and volunteers handle humanitarian aid bound for Gaza at a warehouse in Arish, Egypt. EPA -
Men lower one of the coffins during the funeral of British-Israelis Lianne Sharabi and her daughters Noiya Sharabi, 16, and Yahel Sharabi, 13, in Kfar Harif, Israel. EPA -
An Israeli soldier in a ruined house in the kibbutz of Beeri, near the border with Gaza. EPA -
The aftermath of wide-scale strikes, which Israel says struck Hamas emergency operational apparatus, including war rooms, infrastructure and military headquarters, in Gaza. Reuters -
Palestinians search for casualties after Israeli attacks on houses in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
Rescuers look for casualties in Khan Younis. Reuters -
Palestinian Ali Daba and his wife have separated their children and given them bracelets to help identify them in case they are killed in Israeli strikes. Their daughter shows her bracelet at their shelter in Khan Younis. Reuters -
In Tel Aviv, teddy bears with their eyes covered and signs of injury go on show to highlight the young children and babies missing, believed to be being held by Hamas. Getty -
Palestinians near the rubble of a building following overnight Israeli strikes on the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP -
Members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society distribute aid in Deir Al Balah, in the Gaza Strip. Reuters -
Pro-Israel, left, and pro-Palestine protesters face off during a demonstration in reaction to the Gaza conflict, in central Atlanta, Georgia. EPA -
Orit Meir, the mother of Almog Meir Jan who was taken hostage by Hamas while attending the Nova festival in Israel, at the family's home in Or Yehuda. Reuters -
A soldier puts on protective gear in Ramle, Israel, as he prepares to identify those killed by Hamas during the October 7 attack. Getty Images -
Palestinians wounded in Israeli air strikes arrive at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. Getty Images -
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, centre, speaks with the father of one of the hostages held by Hamas, before a UN Security Council meeting in New York. EPA -
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attend a meeting in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. EPA -
Survivors of Israel's bombardment of Gaza being treated at a trauma ward at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. AFP -
Smoke rises after an air strike on Gaza, as seen from southern Israel. Reuters -
A woman holds placards identifying one of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas during a demonstration in Tel Aviv. AFP
The national mood is sombre as Lebanon's almost ruined economy teeters on the edge of collapse, with many fearing another war will be the final straw
In Beirut, the line between war and peace already seems blurred. The usual vibrant streets are quieter, with many events being cancelled in solidarity with Gaza, where Israeli air strikes have so far killed more than 5,000.
Faced with uncertainty, many in Beirut are preparing for the worst.
Some have already begun stockpiling food and emergency provisions as they recall the 2006 war, a month-long conflict that pitted Hezbollah against Israel and claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Lebanese – mostly civilians – and 165 Israelis, mainly soldiers.
Mariam, a 35-year-old mother of two living in Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahieh, which was heavily affected during the 2006 conflict, told The National she had packed suitcases in case she needs to quickly evacuate her family.
“Each bag has several changes of clothes, water, food and medicine in case of emergencies,” she said. “Because who knows where we’d end up if we had to leave suddenly.”
She and her husband Mohammad own a small chain of accessory shops in Dahieh.
Last weekend, the couple packed up all their merchandise and stored it in a nearby warehouse for safekeeping.
“If the area gets hit, we can’t afford to lose all our merchandise,” she said. “We need to make sure our capital is protected.”
Unfortunately, that means the couple are out of work for the time being. They sell the occasional accessory online but it is not the same revenue stream as having an active storefront.
“The worst part is that we don’t know when or if things are going to get worse. And in the meantime, we can’t do much besides sitting and waiting for something to happen.”
While many Lebanese find themselves with no alternative but to wait, some foreign residents, among them staff from NGOs and international organisations, have already initiated the process of evacuation.
Many embassies, including those of the US and Britain, have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon while flights remain available. The primary concern is that the airport could become a target, as was the case during the 2006 war.
Lebanon's Middle East Airlines has cancelled half of its flights due to changes in insurance coverage. the airline has also transferred a significant portion of its fleet from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport due to the security risks in the region.
Several other airlines, such as Swiss International Air Lines and Germany's Lufthansa, have already temporarily suspended flights to Beirut.
