The Story Inside Lebanon as Israel and Hezbollah wage war
Mar 18, 2026
Tom Ball, a frontline reporter in northern Israel, outlines military buildups and tactical aims. Louise Callaghan, a Middle East correspondent reporting from Lebanon, recounts destruction, displacement and civilian suffering. They discuss rising violence, preparations for a ground assault, Hezbollah’s role and popularity, and the humanitarian toll across border communities.
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Huge Displacement Collides With Weakened Aid Systems
- Lebanon lacks capacity to absorb the displacement; schools and theatres are full and aid is strained after cuts to USAID funding.
- Many displaced lack food, medicine, and access to hospitals, forcing repeated displacement cycles.
Routines And Trauma In Displaced Children
- At a theatre in Tyre volunteers and displaced families keep routines to preserve mental stability amid chaos.
- Children suffer acute trauma; over 100 kids killed so far and schooling and social life have collapsed.
Hezbollah Functions As A Parallel State
- Louise explains Hezbollah is both a powerful militia and a political/social provider, functioning like a 'state within a state' in south Lebanon and southern Beirut suburbs.
- They run banks, schools, civil defence, and have deep societal reach beyond pure military capacity.