In the densely packed residential corridors of Corniche al-Mazraa, the silence that follows a bombing is rarely peaceful. It is a heavy, suffocating stillness, broken only by the sound of concrete shifting and the rhythmic calls of rescue workers searching for those still trapped beneath the ruins of central Beirut.
More than 24 hours after a wave of air strikes swept across Lebanon, the scale of the destruction has left local communities questioning the precision of the military objectives. While the Israeli government maintains its operations are surgically targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the reality on the ground in neighborhoods like Corniche al-Mazraa suggests a different narrative. For the residents here, the primary target was not a militia, but their homes and livelihoods.
According to the Lebanese health ministry, the death toll from the attacks has climbed to at least 303 people as of Friday, a sharp increase from previous counts. The ministry’s records indicate that the casualties include 71 women and 30 children. Among the 1,150 reported injuries, many are severe, leaving Beirut’s already strained medical infrastructure struggling to cope.
‘There is no Hezbollah here’
In Corniche al-Mazraa, the impact was concentrated on a single residential building that was completely razed, killing eight people. At the center of the wreckage lay a local shop specializing in roasted nuts, coffee, and confectionery—a neighborhood staple that became a focal point of the tragedy.
Abu Bakr, a paramedic who responded to the scene, described a horrific environment characterized by catastrophic injuries and severe burns. As his team worked to recover body parts from the rubble, the disconnect between the official military narrative and the local reality became stark.
“They didn’t attack Hezbollah. There’s no Hezbollah here,” Abu Bakr said.
The human cost is exemplified by the death of Nader El Khalil, a man who had worked at the nut shop for 35 years. Bashira Yehyawi, a local resident who grew up with Khalil, described him as a man with no political affiliations, who had recently become engaged.
Yehyawi recalled the suddenness of the attack, noting that the only warning was the sound of low-flying fighter jets before a massive explosion leveled the area. While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have justified strikes in residential zones by accusing Hezbollah of embedding itself within civilian populations, Yehyawi and her neighbors believe the attacks have become indiscriminate.
A paediatric war injury epidemic
The surge of casualties has pushed Beirut’s hospitals to the brink of collapse. The United Nations and the World Health Organization have warned that some facilities could exhaust vital medical supplies within days.
At the American University of Beirut Hospital, Dr. Eveline Hitti, chair of the emergency department, described the event as one of the largest mass casualty incidents the facility has faced in 15 years. She noted that roughly 10 percent of the patients admitted were children, many of whom arrived alone after their parents were killed.
Dr. Hitti highlighted a disturbing trend she termed a “paediatric war injury epidemic,” noting that children are arriving not only with physical trauma but in states of severe psychological shock.
Similar scenes unfolded at Rafik Hariri Hospital, where Dr. Mohamad El Zaatari reported treating at least 10 injured children. He described the overall aftermath of the Wednesday strikes as a “catastrophe,” as families continued to arrive at the facility to identify the dead.
Diplomatic deadlock and the path to Washington
The timing of the bombing has created a diplomatic crisis, occurring shortly after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the United States and Iran. While Israel and the U.S. Argue that the agreement does not apply to the conflict in Lebanon, Pakistan—which helped broker the deal—and Iran maintain that the truce should extend to the north.
The broader conflict, sparked by Hezbollah firing upon Israel in early March, has taken a devastating toll on Lebanon. Health authorities report that since the start of the operation, 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded across the country.
Despite the violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced that his government would enter peace talks with the Lebanese government to discuss the disarmament of Hezbollah. This move follows reported pressure from the White House to exercise restraint following the high number of civilian casualties.
Netanyahu remained firm in a video message, stating, “There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We continue to strike Hezbollah with force, and we will not stop until we restore your security.”
The next critical juncture in the conflict will occur next week, when representatives are scheduled to start formal talks in Washington to negotiate the terms of Hezbollah’s disarmament and a potential lasting peace.
This report contains details of mass casualty events. For those affected by these events, international crisis support is available through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
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