Beirut port blast anniversary overshadowed by new wave of destruction

Southern Lebanon has been reduced to ruins following weeks of intensive Israeli military operations, creating a humanitarian and reconstruction crisis that has overshadowed annual commemorations of the 2020 Beirut port explosion. The town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh exemplifies the scale of destruction, with the majority of houses so severely damaged they are uninhabitable. Residents who had not yet recovered from a previous escalation in September 2024 have been displaced once again, facing the prospect of rebuilding their lives amid an already collapsed economy.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began in October 2023, has experienced two major escalations. The first occurred in September 2024, followed by a second in early March 2026 after the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. The latest phase of fighting has involved not only air attacks and shelling but also deliberate demolitions of residential structures. Elderly residents have been left devastated, with some reduced to collecting scrap metal from their destroyed homes to survive.

Lebanon's economic situation compounds the reconstruction challenge. The country's economy, local currency, and banking sector collapsed in 2019, leaving citizens unable to access their savings. Despite changes in political leadership that promised support for financial reforms and an independent judiciary, little progress has been made in implementing the structural changes needed to attract international assistance. Officials estimate reconstruction costs for the latest escalation could reach $20 billion, though this may be a conservative figure given the unprecedented scale of destruction observed across southern villages.

Basic services have become unavailable in many areas, with some regions lacking telecommunication networks entirely. Additionally, dozens of villages remain inaccessible due to Israeli military occupation, where homes continue to be demolished, water facilities destroyed, and agricultural land and olive groves deliberately torched. This destruction persists despite what is supposed to be a ceasefire framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, and despite condemnations from Lebanese officials who took the controversial decision to engage in direct talks with Israel.