The Current On the ground in Lebanon
Mar 11, 2026
Hussain Ibish, Middle East scholar on Hezbollah and Lebanese politics, and Tasnim Chaaban, Beirut-based journalist covering civilian impact. They report on mass displacement and life under strikes. They discuss claims of white phosphorus use, public frustration with armed groups, and the political crossroads over disarmament and Lebanon’s fragile state.
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Students Clinging To School During Bombing
- Tasnim Chaaban described students in Beirut trying to continue classes amid explosions and displacement.
- She noted students are glued to the news, anxious about displaced classmates, yet insist on finishing exams to avoid losing the year.
Villagers Reluctant To Evacuate Then Forced Out
- Tasnim Chaaban recounted why many southern villagers resisted evacuation and where displaced people relocated.
- Some stayed because they had nowhere else and feared sleeping on streets; others left after nearby strikes killed civilians and a priest.
Beirut Turned Into A Massive Refugee Camp
- Tasnim Chaaban painted Beirut as a sprawling temporary refugee camp with people sleeping on seafronts, in cars, and public gardens.
- She explained hotels, public schools and Airbnbs filled immediately while the government tries to move groups north without sufficient resources.