“I Won’t Leave My Home. Where Would I Go?”: Israel Orders Baalbek Evacuation After Bekaa Suffers Its Deadliest Day

On Wednesday, the Israeli army ordered the immediate evacuation of Baalbek, Ain Bourday, and Douris in the Bekaa Valley, instructing residents to use one of three designated routes: the Zahle-Baalbek highway, the Nahle-Baalbek road, or the Arz-Baalbek road.

A map released by Israel marks these areas in red, without pinpointing specific buildings or neighborhoods. This is the first instance of such a broad evacuation warning for the region.

“I won’t leave my home. Where would I even go? At least I’m in my own home and not homeless,” says Hussein Jaafar, a Baalbek resident living there with his family.

A similar map was published by the Israeli army on Monday, calling for evacuations in specific neighborhoods of Tyre in southern Lebanon just before launching multiple airstrikes. Satellite imagery reveals widespread destruction along Lebanon’s border, with entire towns heavily impacted by the strikes.

An estimated 80,000 have since fled Baalbek, some by foot, to evade the airstrikes.

The recent evacuation orders for three areas in the Bekaa Valley come after a deadly Israeli strike overnight from Sunday to Monday. The attack killed 67 people and wounded 120 across a dozen towns, according to district governor Bachir Khodor.

This marks the deadliest day in the Bekaa Valley in over a year of hostilities.

Despite the extensive casualties, no evacuation orders were issued for the towns affected.

Though Hussein Jaafar’s village in Baalbek escaped the worst of the bombing, nearby towns in the Bekaa Valley suffered significant destruction and fires.

Hussein Jaafar described the night’s assault as “intense,” noting that even the ancient Roman ruins in Baalbek were damaged, putting the historical treasures at risk.

“It’s heartbreaking because Baalbek deserves all the best,” says Hussein Jaafar.

As soon as the strikes ended, Hussein Jaafar rushed to the devastated areas, joining others to pull survivors from the rubble.

“It was difficult to pull people out from under the rubble because we didn’t have the equipment to help. The government has been absent from us for a long time.”

The death toll from Monday morning’s strikes is expected to rise as rescue workers continue to pull bodies from the rubble on Tuesday.

There has been no immediate comment from Israel on the recent attacks.

“I hope the war ends so we can live in peace again. May God not forgive those who caused Lebanon’s destruction,” says Hussein Jaafar.

On Monday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health released an updated toll of casualties from Israeli attacks since October 8, 2023, reporting 2,792 dead and 12,772 injured.

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