Schools in Dahieh fear return to war after new Israeli strikes

It was a typical Friday lunch time in the suburbs of Beirut. Then a single warning posted by an Israeli defense spokesman (IDF) in Arabic was confused with panic in a dense area known as Dahieh.

“I have an urgent warning to people in the suburbs of Beirut.” This post included a residential map of residential area, and the building was marked with red and two nearby schools. The IDF identified the building as a Hezbollah facility and ordered an immediate evacuation of the school.

The raid was imminent.

After that was an embarrassing scene. The parents ran to the threats to gather their children at school, and the residents fled in the opposite direction and noticeably shaken and afraid.

Ahmad Alama, director of ST Georges School, said, “It was a total confusion.” We tried to include as much as possible, but crazy.

The area soon disappeared, the Israeli army destroyed a significant building, and they said they were a warehouse for hezbola drones.

The strike, which was carried out two weeks ago, was the first of Dahieh, a strong region with strong Hezbollah, since the armistice after the end of the war between Israel and Hezbollah was in effect in November.

A few hours after two rocket launches from southern Lebanon to northern Israel. Israel said that one rocket was across and other rocket was lacking on the border.

Hezbola, an armed forces and political organizations supported by Iran, refused to participate. Israel described the rocket fire as “violation”, and Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun accused Israel’s strike as “violation of the agreement.”

Alama said, “We thought the war ended in a ceasefire.”

Despite the ceasefire, Israel continued to strike every day for people and objects. The strike occurred mainly in southern Lebanon, but recently, Dai Fi’s bombing triggered a special alarm.

April 1, The second Israeli strike hit this area. -This time, without a warning -according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, killing the Hezbola commander and three different people.

Alama has been operating the St Georges School for 30 years. It provides services to about 1,000 children of all ages and girls. Religion is part of the curriculum for older students, but he describes school as secular.

It is also well known in the community with the relationship with the brothers and school owners of the Lebanese pop star and talent show judge Ragheb Alama-Ahmad Alama.

The recently destroyed building is only at school. It’s not the only desolate scene nearby. Another building on the side of St Georges’ Gates remains a pile of a huge debris that is made by Israel’s air raid before stopping.

During the war, the school closed. They did not need to deal with the same situation as faced. Now, if you open the door again, there are more bombings, which makes it more likely to be more likely to be lost.

The school designed an evacuation plan and designated the basement of the basement and the path to follow if the student and employee were in danger.

There is also a plan to communicate with parents to avoid repeating the strikes last month. Children are now regularly reminded of these procedures with evacuation training.

Alama says that students, staff and parents are shocked by what happened.

At first, the school considering reducing tutoring activities that had lost learning, but I changed my mind.

Alama said, “We decided different.” “Students should not pay for the absence of responsibility. We have actually increased these activities. These children must solve some of the pressure.”

Nearly five months later, the return of Israel’s raid to Beirut deepened the fear of returning to war.

The ceasefire was to end more than 13 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbola. Hezbola began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas began attacking Israeli military positions the day after Hamas attacked Israel about Israel, and said he was acting solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

Conflicts expanded in September 2024 Israel started a destructive aviation campaign. He crossed Lebanon and invaded the south.

The devastated injured during the war is busy again. The store opened the door again, the smokers of water cigarettes returned to the crowded café, and the suburbs seemed to be busy and paralyzed.

But in the signs of this normal, the scene of destruction plays a role in reminding us of tapping this area that has endured a few months ago.

According to local governments, about 346 buildings of the region were destroyed and other buildings were partially damaged by Israeli raids. Israel said he aimed at Hezbollah and weapon cache.

In many areas, debris is still cleaned. The roar of bulldozer and jackhammers is drilled in the pile of debris.

In some mounds of the debris, hezbollah flag was planted on it, and the large and small portrait of Hassan Nasrallah, former Hezbollah leader killed by Israel during the war, lined up along the way.

But in the signs of customary challenges, many people do not always speak in front of the camera by Dahieh residents.

Sawsan Hariri, the principal of Burj High School in Dahieh, said, “The destruction is terrible.

The school on the side of the flat building was damaged by a nearby strike.

“I’m depressed. Walk the distance and drive the car. All are depressed.”

Hariri lived on the top floor of the school building with her husband and daughter, but the house was destroyed. They now rent an apartment nearby.

Before the war, Burj High School had about 600 students. There is almost 100 now.

Many parents are reluctant to send their children again in the scenes of destruction and the constant winding sound of the machine. Others were concerned about health risks, and thick dust still fills the air.

After the ceasefire, the owner of a private school made several basic repairs at its own cost.

Hezbollah, which was banned from terrorist organizations in many countries, suggested that in Lebanon, people who lost $ 12,000 for a one -year rent for political and social movements and military power. But school and other institutions were not helped.

The Lebanese government promised to establish a reconstruction fund, and the World Bank estimates that it will take $ 11 billion nationwide. However, international donors are considered to be a distant view because they are considered to insist on Hezbollah’s disarmament and political reform.

The cleaning of debris is expected by the end of the year, but few people are expected to follow large -scale reconstruction soon.