Situation Update: Beirut Airstrikes

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Hello Friends,

Many of you have been asking good questions about the Beirut airstrikes making international news. Here is an bit of a longer update explaining the situation. I hope to also post shorter updates more regularly over the next little while.

Check out answers to some of the top questions below.

Photo: Unthinkable levels of destruction in the previously densely-populated Dahyieh suburb of Beirut.

What is happening in Lebanon now?

• If you have been following the situation, Hezbollah armed groups in Lebanon have been trading missiles regularly over the last year, supposedly in response to the Israeli Defense Force’s (IDF) mass bombing campaign in Gaza. There were fears of an escalation of cross-border fighting into a much larger war between the armed groups. As of two weeks ago, this may have happened.

  
  

• On September 17th thousands of pagers and walkie talkies belonging to Hezbollah members simultaneously exploded across the country. Soon after, the frequency and range of IDF airstrikes hitting Lebanon increased immensely. In early September the strikes were mainly contained to near Lebanon’s southern border and the odd strike in the Bekaa or near Tyre or Sidon. Now, in addition to regular bombardment of the border area, the Bekaa valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs are being hit daily.

  
  

• The Friday before last (September 27) the IDF dropped a daisy chain of over 80, 2000-pound ‘bunker-busting’ bombs on a building in the suburb of Dahiyeh. Bunker bombs are illegal in residential areas, and with good reason. The blast shook the entire city – it flattened 6 residential buildings and killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. There were similarly massive strikes Thursday and Saturday night, allegedly aimed at Hezbollah leaders or weapon stores.

  
  

• There have been ‘limited armed incursions’ by the IDF into Lebanese territory, for what they say is to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure close to the border. It is unclear if the IDF will escalate to a full land invasion.

  
  

• Targeted areas, including southern villages where some of Khalil’s family is still staying, and large cities like Nabatiyeh, have been instructed by the IDF to evacuate.  

Where are the airstrikes hitting in Beirut?

Until now, the airstrikes have been limited to the southern suburbs of Beirut, including Dahiyeh, Jnah, Hadat, and Haret Hreik (see map, outlined in red).

These neighbourhoods are traditionally Shiite areas with a larger percentage of Hezbollah supporters. They are densely populated, especially so since many Syrian refugees moved there during the war.

Now much of Dahiyeh has been emptied and many displaced residents have moved north to neighbourhoods like Hamra and downtown.

Are you safe? What is it like living in Beirut right now?

Safety-wise, the strikes are relatively ‘targeted’ to the southern suburbs, and then to specific buildings or vehicles. The IDF has been sending out notifications on Instagram or twitter indicating which buildings they will hit next. Granted, these warnings can come only 15 minutes before the strike and be sent during the middle of the night. Based on the IDF’s track record in 2006 it seems unlikely that planes and drones will start to target outside traditionally Hezbollah-supportive areas (ex: up the mountain or in Christian areas) or begin to indiscriminately bomb the city.

Life in the rest of the city and north of Beirut is continuing fairly close to usual. Although schools are closed, restaurants and shopping centres are open. Khalil and I feel safe and we can easily get a hold of everything we need. By and large the biggest impact is psychological. Where we live in the Antelias suburb (see map), we are blocked from all but the worst of the sounds and vibrations coming from the bombings in the south. However, coworkers, friends, and family members living in the hills above Dahiyeh hear and feel constant strikes, particularly at night. This makes it very difficult for them to carry on life and work as usual.

What’s the impact of the conflict?

• For scale, the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese war killed around a 1000 people and displaced 900,000 over the span of 34 days. This conflict has killed 2000 so far, and it's estimated that over over a million people have been displaced in the last week alone. That’s 1 in 5 people living in Lebanon.

  
  

• Notably, of the 111,600 displaced by the conflict as of August, only 1% were living in shelters, whereas the rest stayed with relatives or found places to rent. Now the percentage of those in shelters is 42%. Many more are living in their cars or on the street in central Beirut.

  
  

• All public-school classes have been canceled until November, with the buildings being repurposed for emergency shelters. Private schools have been allowed to choose to maintain classes. 

What is being done to help?

Thimar

As the umbrella organization to several ministries, Thimar is leading the charge in coordinating many different responses to the situation. Most notably, it’s ministry the Beirut Baptist School (BBS) has been turned into a community centre that acts as a hub for essential item distribution and referral to other shelters. As a private school, BBS is permitted to still hold classes, however due it its proximity to targeted areas (see map), Thimar felt the school was better used to help displaced families. 

MERATH

As the relief and development arm, MERATH is all-systems-go procuring much needed items for both BBS and 8 other partners supporting displaced communities around Lebanon. The displaced include refugees and foreign workers who are now doubly vulnerable due to the situation. We’ve already purchased and sent out over 1000 mattresses, 2000 pillows, 2000 blankets, and 1000 ready to eat food boxes to over 500 families (2000 individuals). We are applying for grants and funding in the hopes of reaching double this number.

Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS)

ABTS has opened the doors of its conference centre to over 40 displaced families – both Christian and Muslim - from the southern villages. In addition to rooming they are providing all meals – that’s a lot of people to feed! Each morning the ABTS/Thimar staff  have worship and prayer together with any families who would like to attend, which is really special.  

Salt & Light

This Thimar ministry is sending out aid through new church plants and is also handling providing youth and child programming for the children of displaced families currently living at the ABTS guest house.

Countless other organizations and ordinary Lebanese folks are getting out on the streets providing food and essentials. It’s really quite amazing and heart filling to see the country come together in this way.

How can I help?

Like many aid organizations, CBM has started a conflict relief campaign for Lebanon: https://www.cbmin.org/appeal/lebanon-conflict-relief/

At this link you can donate directly to help purchase blankets, food boxes, hygiene kits, diapers and more to be distributed through BBS and our church partners on the ground.

We also encourage you to get in contact with your local MP to advocate for international pressure to end this conflict.

In summary, Khalil and I are doing ok! We are safe and are grateful to be here. That said, the needs are so very great. Please pray for strength, wisdom, and protection for the Lebanese people. And for courage for the local church to act boldly in sharing the tangible love of Christ to people we otherwise may have never reached.

Much love to all of you and our heartfelt thanks for your notes of concern and encouragement.

Salam,

Evie