Lebanese Residents Pack Bags Ahead of Potential Israeli Air Strikes
With inflation rising and memories of recent offensives fresh, families in Beirut and the south are stockpiling supplies and preparing quick escape routes.
By Kaito Sokolov ·
Residents across Lebanon are packing bags, charging electronic devices, and stockpiling food as fears grow that Israel may launch a new offensive. The anxiety follows a period of relative calm since an April ceasefire, but the threat of a third major escalation since 2024 has returned to daily life in southern Beirut and the south.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that Israel has killed approximately 9,000 people in Lebanon since the conflict began in October 2023. Most deaths occurred during intense fighting in autumn 2024 and in March and April 2026. Israel currently occupies up to 10 kilometers of territory along the border, an area designated as the Yellow Line. Below this line, Israeli forces continue to destroy homes and infrastructure, making border regions difficult to inhabit.
Aya, who lives in Abbasiyeh in southern Lebanon, stayed in her home during the March attacks despite nearby strikes. She now keeps extra medication for her grandparents and maintains charged devices. She plans to leave her home immediately if attacks intensify again. Aya said she no longer has the energy to endure another displacement and is considering leaving Lebanon entirely.
Ramez, who requested anonymity for security reasons, moved to a family home southeast of Beirut after his apartment in Haret Hreik was damaged by a collapsing neighboring building in July 2024. He has not returned to the Dahiyeh district. He keeps his car fueled, water supplies stocked for months, and power banks charged. He described sleeping in his old home as a gamble involving insomnia and panic attacks.
Karim Safieddine, a fellow with the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, noted that people have been planning for several months. He said the Dahiyeh district empties at night, with many residents maintaining quick escape routes. The US-brokered framework agreement signed in June was intended to set up pilot zones where the Israeli military withdraws and the Lebanese army disarms Hezbollah. However, Israeli officials accuse the Lebanese army of failing to meet its obligations, a claim the army denies.
Political analyst Mohamad Bazzi stated that Israel does not need external instigation to strike. He pointed out that Israel destroyed more of the south after the April 17 ceasefire than before it. He believes Israel aims to make the south uninhabitable and punish the Shia community if the US and Israel restart a large-scale war with Iran.
Economic pressure compounds the fear. The World Bank projected in August that Lebanon's inflation will reach 17.5 percent this year. Analysts warn that rising costs and repeated conflict could lead to social unrest. Jad Dilati, an analyst from Nabatieh, said some families pay rent on spare apartments to secure alternative housing. He noted that after three years of war, maintaining such a backup is a privilege not everyone can afford. Bazzi warned that the combination of economic strain and military threat creates a combustible mix that could explode over unexpected incidents.
