Christian residents of the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon are once again leaving their homes following recent Israeli attacks and evacuation orders. Some families who had returned a few weeks ago were forced to flee north once more.
Darine Al Jouny Safadi had returned with her family to Sidon's Christian neighborhood after a ceasefire was declared between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon, believing the worst days were behind them. However, after about three weeks, heavy bombardment resumed, displacing the family for a second time.
This week's developments worsened as the Israeli army issued an evacuation order for the city's historic Christian district, targeting Hezbollah members with attacks. Previous evacuation orders had not included the ancient Christian neighborhood.
Some Christians remaining in the area chose not to leave their homes, but they are now trapped near advancing Israeli forces. Other families, like the Safadis, moved north due to security concerns.
Safadi said being displaced a second time was harder than the first because they had returned and begun rebuilding their lives. She described sheltering with her family in a single room and could not hide her fear of possibly never returning to their home and community.
Sidon became part of the broader conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah on March 2. After Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in solidarity with Iran, Israel intensified ground and air strikes.
Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elias Kfoury, who has served in Sidon and its surroundings for many years, said the destruction was unlike anything he had seen before. He argued that the attacks did not distinguish between people, places of worship, or historical sites.
The Christian presence in the region dates back centuries, with churches and religious sites forming a rich historical heritage in southern Lebanon. Kfoury estimated that Israeli attacks caused over $100 million in damage to places of worship. The Saint George Maronite Catholic Church, hit in a previous war, remains in ruins.
The Israeli army stated it targeted only military sites belonging to Hezbollah and acted in accordance with international law. The army denied allegations of deliberate harm to civilians, places of worship, or heritage sites.
Kfoury criticized the international community for failing to hold Israel accountable and called for stronger protection for the people of southern Lebanon. Safadi wept at the prospect of her family and neighborhood being permanently displaced. Her 13-year-old daughter Salma described the thought of never seeing their home and church again as indescribably painful.
According to Lebanese authorities, more than 3,600 people have died in Israeli attacks, and over one million have been displaced. Despite a ceasefire announced by the US on April 16, fighting continues, with Lebanon reporting approximately 3,500 Israeli attacks since the ceasefire.
