Rescue workers and residents looking at the damage caused by an Israeli army strike on the night of Wednesday June 26, 2024 in Nabatieh, South Lebanon. (Credit: Mountasser Abdallah)
After the Israeli strike of Wednesday night on a small building in Nabatieh, residents woke up in disbelief at what happened, according to testimonies given to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the area.
The Israeli air force targeted the western part of the city, amid the daily and escalating exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
At least two missiles were fired at the two- or three-story building, according to security sources, residents, and rescuers whose testimonies were collected by our correspondent in the region.
On Thursday morning, Hussein Faqih, Head of the Civil Defence Centre in the Nabatieh Regional Centre, told L'Orient Today that the rescue operations in the destroyed building were concluded and that nine people suffered from injuries he qualified as "medium to light."
Others suffered from smoke inhalation caused by the explosions and loss of consciousness, according to Faqih.
The Civil Defense was deployed on-site, along with the Red Cross, al-Rissala scouts (affiliated with the Amal movement), and the Islamic Health Committee (affiliated with Hezbollah).
The building, located on an intersection in the northwestern area of Nabatieh called Hay al-Bayad, was completely destroyed, Faqih added, explaining that "dozens of close-by houses have been damaged, as well as dozens of cars."
According to our correspondent, Nabatieh had previously been targeted by drones, but never by the Israeli air force, which had, until now, targeted only the city’s outskirts.
Speaking to L'Orient Today, Iqbal Marwa, a supermarket owner in her fifties from the Al-Bayad neighborhood, said the balcony railings and doors in her house, just a few hundred meters from the airstrike, were shaking from the impact.
"I was on my balcony drinking coffee when I heard the sound of a missile being launched. Immediately after, I heard a huge explosion. Screams rose from the neighboring houses, and people went out onto their balconies, wondering where the explosion had occurred," she said.
"I did not expect my city to be bombed in this way. To be honest, I did not expect my house to be in the danger zone, yet I was not afraid," she said, ensuring that she intends to "stay in my home."
She explained she went to the site of the strike this morning and was "shocked by the extent of the destruction."
Faten Sabah, who was also close to the airstrike, told L'Orient Today that when she heard the sound of the fighter jets and "a sonic boom," she "took cover in a corner of the room and asked my daughter to take cover as well, fearing the windows would shatter."
"As soon as I said that, a massive explosion echoed for a few seconds, shaking the walls and doors."
"I will not leave my house because of one raid, and neither will my neighbors. This is what they said this morning. We agreed not to leave our homes and to monitor how the situation develops," Sabah said. She added sarcastically, "Where would we go with our pockets empty of money?"
In mid-February, notably, seven civilians from the same family were killed in a drone strike in Nabatieh. The Israeli army said the attack was conducted in retaliation for unclaimed rocket fire from Lebanon that hit a military base in northern Israel and killed one soldier.
Reporting contributed by Muntasser Abdallah.