Escalation Drives Lebanese Families Into Schools as Government Condemns Hezbollah Strike

 

Families take shelter in schools as Lebanon’s government calls Hezbollah’s strike on Israel illegal.

Lebanese families are seeking refuge in schools across Beirut after a sharp escalation in violence between Israel and Hezbollah left dozens dead and many more wounded. Overnight strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon killed at least 31 people and injured 149, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. 

As civilians fled from the south and the capital’s outskirts, highways became jammed with people trying to reach safer areas. Many ended up in makeshift shelters inside schools, now serving as emergency sanctuaries amid the intensifying conflict.

The Lebanese government publicly condemned Hezbollah’s decision to launch strikes into Israel, calling the action illegal and asserting that the group acted without state authorization. Officials demanded that Hezbollah hand over its weapons, underscoring the deepening political rift within the country as it becomes increasingly entangled in regional tensions. 

The latest violence follows Hezbollah’s missile fire into Israel, which the group described as retaliation. Israel’s response has brought heavy bombardment to civilian areas, prompting widespread displacement and fear of further escalation.