Lebanese return to war-scarred Nabatiyeh as Israeli strikes continue
Residents of southern Lebanon's city of Nabatiyeh are attempting to salvage belongings and reopen businesses amid extensive damage from Israeli airstrikes that have left many homes destroyed and civilians dead.
Residents of Nabatiyeh, a southern Lebanese city, have begun returning to assess damage after Israeli forces seized the nearby Beaufort Castle in May and launched artillery strikes that have devastated the area. Najib Ayyad, who works for a parliamentary office, entered his heavily damaged apartment to retrieve personal items, noting that broken concrete and shattered glass block the entrance and that electricity remains out across the city.
The town, an administrative hub for Hezbollah, has seen its historic covered market reduced to rubble, prompting Mayor Abbas Fakhreddin to advise residents to wait before returning, citing security concerns and a lack of basic necessities. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said more than 15,000 homes in border villages were demolished to create a buffer zone intended to limit Hezbollah attacks.
Local shopkeeper Hanan Hamadi and her mother reopened a small convenience store despite severe damage, replacing a broken door with a plastic sheet and restocking basic goods. Their efforts illustrate a broader push by some residents to resume daily life, even as families such as the Basmas, who were killed in a March airstrike, remain buried under rubble. Amnesty International classified that strike as a potential war crime, noting the absence of nearby military targets.
First-responder units in Nabatiyeh have also suffered casualties; at least 130 volunteers have been killed, including a 16-year-old paramedic delivering food. Volunteers like software developer-turned-paramedic Ali Rida continue to operate despite psychological pressure and the risk of further strikes.
The ongoing conflict, which began on March 2, has resulted in more than 4,200 Lebanese deaths, according to health officials, with women and children comprising roughly one-fifth of the fatalities. Israeli officials report 37 of their soldiers and one contractor killed by Hezbollah attacks. The city’s residents remain caught between rebuilding efforts and the threat of continued military action.