Around 1 p.m. on Monday, traffic was nearly halted on the southern highway and the internal roads leading to Saida and Beirut, as well as towards northern Lebanon, blocked by massive gridlocks.
Since the morning, panic has gripped thousands of Lebanese residents living in the border areas of southern Lebanon.
Israeli warnings and the ultimatum given by Tel Aviv, urging people to immediately leave areas near civilian buildings where Hezbollah is allegedly storing its weapons, have pushed many to flee in a rush. Many are trying to find refuge in Saida or Tyre, while others have moved farther away.
In Saida, rescue operations were quickly organized. In an interview with This is Beirut, independent Saida MP Abdel Rahman Bizri said “there is a massive influx of cars into the city causing huge traffic jams since this morning, as families (fleeing the south) are either trying to rent apartments or seeking help from the municipality.”
Bizri said “a meeting was held today (Monday) with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the city’s active forces to assist the displaced, most of whom fled with only minimal personal belongings.”
A second meeting was scheduled for 5 p.m. “to take urgent measures to provide housing and shelters for those who cannot find a place on their own.”
“Other emergency measures have also been implemented. We will adjust our actions based on the security situation on the ground,” he added.
Bizri noted that Monday “was the deadliest day” since the beginning of the October 2023 war, and even since the July 2006 war (between Israel and Hezbollah), pointing out that Israel “targeted new towns and localities in Saida district, hitting populated areas.”
“A significant number of wounded were admitted to Saida’s hospitals, which, under instructions from the Ministry of Health, canceled all non-urgent medical procedures to prioritize emergencies resulting from the Israeli strikes,” he added.
Tyre also saw “an unprecedented influx of cars,” Bahri, a fisherman from the city, told This is Beirut. Many of those who arrived hope that the Israeli strikes will be short-lived.
Displaced individuals who have nowhere to go are being housed in public schools.
