Lebanese woman returns to ruined home in southern Lebanon

Sumaya Yaghi walked through the rubble of the house she once shared with her family in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun, the last remaining structure after a series of airstrikes in early May 2024 reduced the neighborhood to debris. The strikes, part of a broader Israeli campaign targeting Hezbollah positions along the Lebanon‑Israel border, left thousands of civilians displaced and caused extensive damage to residential areas, schools and infrastructure across the region.

Humanitarian agencies report that more than 150,000 people have been forced to seek temporary shelter in makeshift camps and community centers, while the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has coordinated the delivery of food, water and medical supplies to the affected population. Local authorities and international donors are assessing the damage and planning reconstruction efforts, but officials warn that rebuilding will take months, if not years, and that many families like Yaghi’s remain without a permanent home. The situation underscores the ongoing humanitarian challenges in southern Lebanon as the conflict persists.