A Lebanese national who works in the UAE says he lives in constant fear for his family's safety after their home in a border village was bombed amid threats of an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Most of the 900 residents of Alma Al Shaab, about a kilometre from the Israeli border in southern Lebanon, have already fled to cities such as Beirut and Sidon.
The village has been hit by Israeli missiles since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year.
“I speak to my family every day, I’m worried and stressed but it’s so much more stressful for them,” Joseph told The National, choosing not to disclose his surname.
who had to shut down his hotel
“My older uncles and aunts moved to Beirut but they cannot live there any more.
“They have gone back to the village despite the bombs, they say it’s their home.”
Many Lebanese residents, like Joseph, speak daily to their families living in southern border towns, to check they are safe.
Joseph's family home was also damaged by Israeli missiles.
“My house – the one I remember from my childhood, has been bombed,” he said.
“Many homes in Alma Al Shaab have been bombed.”
His family is among many who've had to leave behind their homes and find shelter in bigger cities.
Need to stay alive
Elie Eid, Joseph's brother-in-law, was also forced to move his family to Beirut in March after a bomb struck near his family-run hotel.
The shift has been particularly tough for young children, who despite best efforts by the elders to shield them from the unfolding violence, know something is amiss from the conversations they overhear at home.
“’There is a fire in our village’ – that’s what my son says.
“He hears people talking and says he wants to go home,” said Mr Eid.
All schools in the village have been forced to shut down, with mostly elderly residents continuing to live there.
“Most young people are gone. There are barely 100 people, mostly older people who have stayed behind.”
His 64-year-old father is among them. He insists on living in Alma Al Shaab and travelling to Beirut every weekend to see the family.
Fighting to survive
The 35-year-old, who had put all his savings to start a hotel “in our lovely village”, was forced to close it and start a new business in Beirut to stay afloat.
“It’s very difficult to shut down a business and start afresh. But we needed new ideas to generate money, to stay alive.”
Mr Eid's company in Beirut cleans solar panels.
“We have had to struggle because there is no one, no government to support us.
“I have to take care of my family … we need to manage.”
Mr Eid, like many of his compatriots, wish they could go back to Alma Al Shaab, which was once surrounded by olive groves. The fires caused by Israeli shelling has torched the land and burnt the olive trees.
“We have the right to live, I want to go home to my village.
“We still hope that things will end up in a good way but unfortunately, things are getting worse.”
The US, France, UK and several other governments have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon.
Beirut’s main airport is packed due to a surge of travellers looking for flights out prompted by fears of a wider war in the region.
Airlines including Air France, Lufthansa and Royal Jordanian have cancelled flights in recent days after Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel.
The rise in tension follows the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut last week.
