From Stefanie Glinski, a journalist based in Istanbul:
“BEIRUT—When Israel announced that it had killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, the news was dismissed by many Lebanese as enemy propaganda.
Swaths of people had been displaced the previous night after the Israeli army, using social media, warned of further strikes on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh as well as other nearby neighborhoods. The warnings triggered a mass exodus across Beirut, not just in Dahiyeh: People crammed into minibuses, strapped suitcases and blankets to their cars, and headed north—out of the danger zone. Those with no place to go moved into the streets, sleeping on sidewalks and in city squares in areas still deemed safe; tired children spread out on the bare concrete, with no blankets and no food, to shelter.
At 2:30 p.m., Hezbollah confirmed its leader’s death—and in Beirut, all hell broke loose…”
As someone who lives there, it depends, Lebanon is very diverse. Some cried, some cheered, I saw fireworks, I saw people broken, I saw people partying. It was a shock for all that’s for sure.
Everyone knew that this was the end of an era. And personally I opened a wine bottle I have been saving for THIS occasion. Didn’t cheer too loud, I need to respect my fellow Lebanese who looked up to him and I have to admit, he was a man like no other, but Hezbollah has been suffocating Lebanon for a decade and this felt like I breath of fresh air.
I bet non hezbollah lebanese were thrilled. Lebanon does not host Hezbollah willingly.
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From Stefanie Glinski, a journalist based in Istanbul:
“BEIRUT—When Israel announced that it had killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, the news was dismissed by many Lebanese as enemy propaganda.
Swaths of people had been displaced the previous night after the Israeli army, using social media, warned of further strikes on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh as well as other nearby neighborhoods. The warnings triggered a mass exodus across Beirut, not just in Dahiyeh: People crammed into minibuses, strapped suitcases and blankets to their cars, and headed north—out of the danger zone. Those with no place to go moved into the streets, sleeping on sidewalks and in city squares in areas still deemed safe; tired children spread out on the bare concrete, with no blankets and no food, to shelter.
At 2:30 p.m., Hezbollah confirmed its leader’s death—and in Beirut, all hell broke loose…”
As someone who lives there, it depends, Lebanon is very diverse. Some cried, some cheered, I saw fireworks, I saw people broken, I saw people partying. It was a shock for all that’s for sure.
Everyone knew that this was the end of an era. And personally I opened a wine bottle I have been saving for THIS occasion. Didn’t cheer too loud, I need to respect my fellow Lebanese who looked up to him and I have to admit, he was a man like no other, but Hezbollah has been suffocating Lebanon for a decade and this felt like I breath of fresh air.
I bet non hezbollah lebanese were thrilled. Lebanon does not host Hezbollah willingly.