Lebanon (MNN) — The United Kingdom and Egyptian governments ask airlines to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace as Middle East tensions rise. The region remains on edge, awaiting Iran’s promised retaliation for the Hamas and Hezbollah leaders killed last week.
Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says, “We’re praying that Iran settles with a proxy response. But if Iran shells across the borders into Israel, the response from Israel and other nations is going to be huge.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a warning to the Lebanese people yesterday as Israel and Hezbollah weighed “first strike” options:
“We will not allow the Hezbollah militia to destabilize the border and the region. If Hezbollah continues its aggression, Israel will fight it, with all its might: Remember Nasrallah’s regret following the dangerous and miscalculated adventure he embarked on, in August 2006 – learn the lesson of the past so as not to fall into a dangerous scenario in August 2024.”
Hezbollah, a paramilitary group backed by Iran with political ties in Lebanon, vowed revenge on Israel for killing one of its senior leaders in Beirut last week. Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged near-daily attacks since early October, but the assassination marks a substantial escalation.
“Lebanon is in the middle of all that conflict, and, unfortunately, the tension keeps rising,” Melki says.
“Every day seems to add a notch to the tension.”
Melki, a Lebanese national, says the tension is tangible in Beirut, where Heart for Lebanon is headquartered.
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)
“The Lebanese population is significantly worried. [By] around 3:30 or 4 pm, the streets are empty. Everybody goes home early to finish their business before it gets dark,” Melki says.
“I heard a psychiatrist say today, ‘It’s worse to anticipate war than to live in war.’ This anticipation that war is coming or more death and destruction is behind the door, as they say, makes you sit and wait with fear,” he continues.
“The general population in Lebanon is doing whatever they can to ensure they have enough fuel in their car and food in their fridge and store nonperishable food items in anticipation that things can get worse soon.”
Heart for Lebanon’s team is committed to staying and shining the light of Christ as the clouds of war darken in Lebanon. A gift from you can help the team purchase more food aid or relief supplies.
“Resources are scarce. Food is limited because people are trying to store additional food supplies,” Melki says. “In our medical clinic, we have supplies of medicines, but we don’t have all the medicines that we need.”
Header image depicts a tank flying a Hezbollah flag. (Wikimedia Commons)
