'All we want is peace': Lebanese UAE expats react to heaviest Israeli strikes during war
[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
On Wednesday, Dubai resident Ayoub heard about how his home country of Lebanon came under fire, his first panicked call was to his aged parents who live in Beirut. “Our entire area was under attack, and my brother and sister were at work,” he told Khaleej Times. “My parents had to leave their home. There was traffic everywhere. A friend had to go get my sister out of her office in a motorcycle because the traffic was at standstill. Thankfully my family is in a safe place now and I have been in constant contact but it was such a terrifying day for us.”
Israeli forces battered Lebanon in a devastating attack just hours after a ceasefire went into effect in the US-Israel-Iran war. According to the Lebanese Civil Defence, the attacks killed at least 245 people and injured over 1,100. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump said that Lebanon was not part of the US-Iran truce, even though mediator Pakistan had said that the ceasefire included the Arab country. Iran has meanwhile termed the attack a “grave violation” in comments to international media.
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According to Ayoub, unlike earlier attacks, there was no warning to residents prior to Thursday’s bombardment. “Usually, alerts or warnings are sent out a certain area is going to be attacked so that civilians can evacuate,” he said. “However, yesterday, there was no warning or alert causing a lot of people to panic. My family saw a lot of people who had fainted or suffered from panic attacks because of this.”
Mistrust
The ongoing war between Israel and the Lebanese Iran-backed group Hezbollah began on March 2 and has caused heavy losses to Lebanon. Ayoub said that one of the issues was that it had sown seeds of mistrust in the Lebanese society. “A lot of Hezbollah operatives are under cover,” he said. “When they move into a residential area, Israel attacks that area, taking down entire buildings and killing many people. So now, no one trusts each other and no one is ready to rent out their apartments to new tenants because they are scared.”
He added that the war was having devastating effects on the economy of the country. “My brother told me that last month, he was paid his salary very late,” he said. “Next month, he is scared that he won’t get paid at all. If the war doesn’t end soon, the country is going to be a very bad economic shape.”
No guarantee of safety
For the last several months, UAE resident, Amaani, who is a graphic designer, has been working out of her hometown of Lebanon. “We were hopeful when the announcement of the ceasefire came,” she told Khaleej Times from Lebanon. “But it was just a false hope. All we want is peace.”
Although she lives away from the main city of Beirut, Amaani said she was worried for the safety of her extended family members, many of whom lived there. “I tried calling all of my relatives to ensure that they were safe,” she said. When she asked if she would consider leaving the country now, she said it wasn’t a chance she would take. “There have been many instances where the airport and surrounding areas have been targeted. I cannot take that risk right now. For now, my family is staying put and praying for the best outcome.”
Dubai resident Philip said that although his family lived in a safer part of Beirut, he was scared. “There is no guarantee of safety anywhere in Lebanon now,” he said. “It is very frustrating for us as we are constantly worried about our families and are hoping for the best.”
