Lebanese residents stock up fearing new Israeli escalation
Residents in southern Lebanon and Beirut's suburbs are packing emergency bags and supplies as fears grow of another Israeli escalation.
At a glance
- Many Lebanese in southern Lebanon and Beirut's suburbs are packing bags and stockpiling food, medicine and fuel ahead of Israeli attacks.
- A ceasefire began in April 2026, but residents say drone noise and explosions continue, and Israeli strikes persist in the far south.
- The World Bank expects Lebanese inflation to reach 17.5 percent this year, adding economic strain to fears of renewed war.
Many Lebanese residents are packing bags, stockpiling medicine and food, and keeping phones and cars fuelled amid renewed fears of Israeli military escalation. The anxiety is concentrated in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs, areas that endured heavy attacks during previous rounds of fighting since the Israel-Hezbollah war began in October 2023.
A ceasefire was announced in April 2026, followed by a US-brokered framework agreement in June that envisioned Israeli withdrawal from pilot zones and Lebanese army deployment to disarm Hezbollah. Active fighting has eased, but Israeli attacks and destruction continue in the far south, and residents report constant drone noise and explosions.
Aya, who lives in Abbasiyeh in southern Lebanon, said her family has prepared extra medication for her grandparents and that she would leave if attacks intensify again. She described the mental exhaustion of facing another displacement and said she is considering leaving Lebanon.
Ramez, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said he has not returned to his home in Beirut's Dahiyeh neighbourhood since a nearby building collapsed on his apartment in July 2024. He keeps batteries, power banks, water and a full petrol tank ready.
Other residents from Dahiyeh and the south said they keep go-bags packed. Karim Safieddine of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy said Dahiyeh empties at night and people have quick escape routes. Jad Dilati, an analyst from Nabatieh, noted some families pay rent for alternative accommodation, though many cannot afford it after three years of war.
Economic pressure is adding to the strain. The World Bank said in August it expects Lebanese inflation to reach 17.5 percent this year. Analyst Mohamad Bazzi warned that repeated cycles exhaust savings and goodwill, raising the risk of social unrest and sectarian tensions.
Regional factors are also feeding concern. US President Donald Trump has reportedly considered new attacks on Iran in coordination with Israel, and Iran has warned of regional retaliation. Israeli officials have accused the Lebanese army of failing to meet its framework obligations, a denial by the army that analysts say could be used to justify further bombing.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Why are people in Lebanon packing bags and stocking up?
- Residents in southern Lebanon and Beirut's suburbs fear another Israeli escalation and are preparing emergency supplies, including food, medicine, fuel and charged devices, in case attacks restart.
- What is the current status of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah?
- A ceasefire was announced in April 2026 and a US-brokered framework deal followed in June, but Israeli attacks and destruction continue in southern Lebanon while active fighting has eased.
- What economic pressure are Lebanese people facing?
- The World Bank said in August it expects inflation in Lebanon to reach 17.5 percent this year, worsening financial strain for families already affected by war.
