Schools in Dahi are afraid to return to the war after new Israeli strikes

The lunch time was on Friday in the southern suburb of Beirut. After that, one warning, published in Arabic on X by an Israeli defense spokesman (IDF), sparked panic and chaos in the densely populated area known as Dahieh.

“Urgent warning to those in the southern suburb of Beirut,” I read. This post included a map of a residential area, on the occasion of a red building and two nearby. The Israeli Defense Army identified the building as the Hezbollah facility, and ordered the immediate evacuation of schools.

The air strike was imminent.

This was followed by scenes of extreme panic. Parents rushed to the threatened area to collect their children from schools, while the residents fled in the opposite direction, and they were clearly and afraid.

“It was complete chaos.”. “We tried to contain the situation as much as possible, but it was crazy.”

The area soon was cleared, and the Israeli forces destroyed the noticeable building, which they said was a warehouse that stores the aircraft of Hazab Allah.

The strike, which made two weeks ago, was the first to be in Dahi – an area with a strong presence from Hezbollah – since the ceasefire from the war between Israel and Hezbollah is valid last November.

This came hours after two missiles were launched from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel. Israel said it had intercepted one missile, while the other was less than the border.

Hezbollah, the Iranian -backed armed and political group, denied its involvement. Israel described the missile fire as a “violation” of the ceasefire, while the office of the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, condemned the Israeli strike as “a violation of the agreement.”

“We thought the war ended with a ceasefire, but unfortunately, we still live every day,” says Mr. Alama.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel continued almost daily strikes on the people and the targets that it says is linked to Hezbollah, saying it is working to prevent Hezbollah from renewing. The strikes took place mainly in southern Lebanon, but the recent bombings in Dahi sparked a special warning.

On April 1, It hit an Israeli blow to the area This time without warning – Hezbollah commander and three other people were killed, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Mr. Alama was running St. George’s school for 30 years. About 1,000 children of all ages, boys and girls serve. Although religion is part of the curriculum for the older students, it describes the school as secular.

It is also known in society because of his association with the Lebanese pop star and the talent shows, the judge, Ragheb Alama-the brother of Ahmed Alaa and the owner of the school.

The devastating building recently lies meters away from school. It is not the nearby scene. Another building, opposite one of the gates of St. George, is still a huge pile of rubble – shot down by Israeli air strikes before the ceasefire.

During the war, schools were closed. They had no dealing with situations such as those they faced. Reopen now, it is preparing for more bombing.

The school created evacuation plans, as the emergency meeting points in the basement and students and employees were identified to follow up on any danger.

There are also new communication plans with parents to prevent the chaos of the strike last month. Children are now reminded of these procedures, with regular evacuation exercises.

Mr. Alaa says that students, employees and parents alike are shocked by what happened.

Initially, the school thought about reducing extracurricular activities to compensate for lost learning, but they changed their opinion.

“We decided otherwise,” says Mr. Alama. “Students should not pay the price of something that is not responsible for it. It has already ended up with the increase in these activities – these children need to release some pressure on them.”

About five months after the ceasefire, the return of Israeli air strikes to Beirut increased fears of returning to the comprehensive war.

The ceasefire was supposed to end more than 13 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli military sites the day after Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, saying that it was acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

The conflict escalated in September 2024, when Israel launched a devastating air campaign Through Lebanon and invaded the south of the country.

Dahi, abandoned during the war, is loud again. The stores were reopened, the hookah smokers returned in crowded cafes, and the suburb appears to be occupied as before, with a paralysis traffic.

But amid these signs of normal life, scenes of destruction are a reminder of the bombing of this area a few months ago.

About 346 buildings were destroyed in the area and the last 145 Israeli air strikes were damaged, according to a municipal official. Israel said it had targeted Hezbollah facilities and weapons weapons.

In many neighborhoods, the rubble is still cleared. The bulldozers and Jachamors drilling in piles of almost fixed debris.

Some piles of debris have the flags of Hezbollah planted over it, while large and small pictures of Hassan Nasrallah, the former Hezbollah leader, were killed by Israel during the war, on the roads.

However, amid the usual signs of challenge, many now express deep concern that is not always expressed – at least in front of the cameras – by Dahi residents.

“The destruction is terrifying. I see the destroyed buildings and I cry,” says Shossim Hariri, director of Burg Secondary School, also in Dahi.

The school, which is also located opposite a flat building, is damaged by nearby strikes.

“It’s frustrating. Walking on the street, driving your car – just everything frustrated.”

Mrs. Hariri used to live on the upper floor of the school building with her husband and daughter, but their house was destroyed. They are now renting an apartment nearby.

Before the war, Burj High School had about 600 students. Now, barely 100.

Many parents hesitate to restore their children amid scenes of destruction and the ongoing catering of machines. Others were concerned about health risks, as thick dust continues to fill the air.

After the ceasefire, the school owners made some basic repairs at their own expense.

Hezbollah, which was banned as a terrorist organization in many countries but in Lebanon is a political and social movement in addition to a paramilitary force, gave those who lost their homes $ 12,000 for a year and offered the costs of reforms to the apartments. However, schools and other institutions have not received any help.

The Lebanese government has pledged to establish a reconstruction fund, which the World Bank would cost $ 11 billion in the country. But international donors are believed to insist on disarming Hezbollah and political reform – the conditions that seem far.

Although the rubble is expected to end by the end of the year, a few of them expect that they will follow the rebuilding on a large scale soon.