Beirut, Lebanon – In the Palestinian refugee camp of Burj al-Barajneh, two men stood on opposite balconies, discussing the recent Israeli attack that killed a senior Hezbollah operative just over a kilometre away from where they were standing.A year earlier, the areas around the camp, which is located in Beirut’s southern suburbs, were devastated by Israeli attacks. While the camp was not hit directly, the buildings shook so badly from nearby bunker buster bombs that many fled out of fear they might collapse.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listLast November’s ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, after a year of conflict, brought a reprieve for many here, even though Israeli attacks continue across the south and parts of eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Sunday’s attack, however, has left many in the country worried that another intensification may soon take place.Standing on his balcony, a man in his mid-30s called over to his neighbour, “Do you think they’ll launch a wider war?”The other, a stocky man with greying hair, shrugged with uncertainty. “May God protect us,” he said, before turning around and heading inside his apartment.Retaliation would be suicideLast year’s war left deep scars on Lebanon.Many villages in the south were razed to the ground during the fighting, while others suffered heavily from Israeli destruction during the ceasefire period. More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed since October 2023, mostly from September to November of last year, and more than 1.2 million people were displaced. Many have yet to return to thei …
