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PHOTO ESSAY

In photos: Lebanon plunged back into horror

The country has finally been caught in the regional conflict between Iran on one side and the U.S. and Israel on the other.

Lebanon, which has not yet recovered from the devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2023-2024, has been plunged back into horror overnight between Sunday and Monday.

In the early hours of dawn, the party launched several rockets and drones at Israel. The response was swift. A series of Israeli strikes rained down on southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut's southern suburbs, killing at least 31 people, injuring at least 149 and forcing thousands into the streets.

This morning, displaced people were sleeping in the streets of the capital or in schools that have opened their doors to them.

Here's a look back at these dreadful scenes, in images.

By L'Orient Today staff, 02 March 2026 13:07

A fire seen in a damaged building after an Israeli strike in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 2, 2026. Israel bombarded Lebanon on March 2, expanding the conflict across the region after the massive Israel-U.S. attack on Iran that U.S. President Donald Trump launched to topple Tehran's ruling clerics. (Credit: AFP)

A fire seen in a damaged building after an Israeli strike in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 2, 2026. Israel bombarded Lebanon on March 2, expanding the conflict across the region after the massive Israel-U.S. attack on Iran that U.S. President Donald Trump launched to topple Tehran's ruling clerics. (Credit: AFP)

Debris seen around a building damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)

Debris seen around a building damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)

A man walks past a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)

A man walks past a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese area of Deir Siryan on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Rabih Daher/AFP)

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese area of Deir Siryan on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Rabih Daher/AFP)

Motorists leave villages in southern Lebanon through the coastal city of saida on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)

Motorists leave villages in southern Lebanon through the coastal city of saida on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)

Some are crammed into pickup trucks, with a few belongings they managed to salvage in haste. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Some are crammed into pickup trucks, with a few belongings they managed to salvage in haste. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Others, less fortunate, cram on a motorcycle to flee the southern suburbs of Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Others, less fortunate, cram on a motorcycle to flee the southern suburbs of Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Already suffering from more than two years of war, some families are once again having to seek refuge in schools that have opened their doors to displaced people throughout Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Already suffering from more than two years of war, some families are once again having to seek refuge in schools that have opened their doors to displaced people throughout Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Others are forced to sleep on the bare ground in the city center, as they did at the height of the previous war between September and November 2024. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Others are forced to sleep on the bare ground in the city center, as they did at the height of the previous war between September and November 2024. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Plunged into uncertainty, civilians, the first victims of the conflict, have no other option than to bear their suffering patiently, without shelter, awaiting further developments. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

Plunged into uncertainty, civilians, the first victims of the conflict, have no other option than to bear their suffering patiently, without shelter, awaiting further developments. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)

On the same topic
  • A fire seen in a damaged building after an Israeli strike in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 2, 2026. Israel bombarded Lebanon on March 2, expanding the conflict across the region after the massive Israel-U.S. attack on Iran that U.S. President Donald Trump launched to topple Tehran's ruling clerics. (Credit: AFP)
    1/10 A fire seen in a damaged building after an Israeli strike in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 2, 2026. Israel bombarded Lebanon on March 2, expanding the conflict across the region after the massive Israel-U.S. attack on Iran that U.S. President Donald Trump launched to topple Tehran's ruling clerics. (Credit: AFP)
  • Debris seen around a building damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
    2/10 Debris seen around a building damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
  • A man walks past a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)
    3/10 A man walks past a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik (Beirut's southern suburbs) on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)
  • Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese area of Deir Siryan on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Rabih Daher/AFP)
    4/10 Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese area of Deir Siryan on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Rabih Daher/AFP)
  • Motorists leave villages in southern Lebanon through the coastal city of saida on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
    5/10 Motorists leave villages in southern Lebanon through the coastal city of saida on March 2, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
  • Some are crammed into pickup trucks, with a few belongings they managed to salvage in haste. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
    6/10 Some are crammed into pickup trucks, with a few belongings they managed to salvage in haste. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
  • Others, less fortunate, cram on a motorcycle to flee the southern suburbs of Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
    7/10 Others, less fortunate, cram on a motorcycle to flee the southern suburbs of Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
  • Already suffering from more than two years of war, some families are once again having to seek refuge in schools that have opened their doors to displaced people throughout Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
    8/10 Already suffering from more than two years of war, some families are once again having to seek refuge in schools that have opened their doors to displaced people throughout Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
  • Others are forced to sleep on the bare ground in the city center, as they did at the height of the previous war between September and November 2024. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
    9/10 Others are forced to sleep on the bare ground in the city center, as they did at the height of the previous war between September and November 2024. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
  • Plunged into uncertainty, civilians, the first victims of the conflict, have no other option than to bear their suffering patiently, without shelter, awaiting further developments. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
    10/10 Plunged into uncertainty, civilians, the first victims of the conflict, have no other option than to bear their suffering patiently, without shelter, awaiting further developments. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)