Thousands Displaced in East Lebanon as Israeli Strikes Intensify

In the Christian town of Deir al-Ahmar, Hassan Noun has set up a tent in a church courtyard, seeking refuge after escaping Israeli airstrikes in Baalbek, eastern Lebanon.

“We need proper shelter,” he said, expressing concern over the approaching winter, “the children need a place safe from the rain and snow.” Noun and his family are among around 30,000 others displaced to Deir al-Ahmar, one of the few Christian areas untouched by Israeli bombings targeting Hezbollah strongholds in mainly Shiite Muslim regions.

“Churches and schools are crowded with people, unable to hold any more,” he added, with his family’s belongings— a teapot and kitchen items—arranged on a bench, and foam mattresses and laundry scattered around the church grounds.

Seventeen-year-old Fatima also fled her home in Chaath due to the ongoing bombardments. Her family now stays in a makeshift shelter at a school in Bechouat, near Deir al-Ahmar, using desks and blankets to create some privacy. “There’s no heating, and we lack warm clothes,” she said, lamenting the disruption to her studies.

Randa Amhaz, another displaced resident, expressed gratitude to the school for providing shelter but stressed the need for warm clothing for children and medication for the elderly.

Since September 23, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 1,900 people in Lebanon, based on data from Lebanon’s health ministry. The Baalbek-Hermel region alone reported 52 deaths on Friday due to intensified strikes, displacing more than 78,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Deir al-Ahmar initially received 12,000 displaced people who found shelter in homes, church facilities, and some open spaces. But as Israeli attacks escalated this week, another 20,000 arrived, many sleeping in public spaces, said Rabih Saade from the local emergency committee. He called on authorities for ongoing support, uncertain of how long the crisis will last.

In a schoolyard, women and children gathered in the sun, and a woman seated beside her elderly mother shared her anxiety, saying, “We left our homes with no clear plan, no idea where to turn.” With limited room, she sleeps on a foam mattress in a narrow passageway between two doors.