Anger and fear gripped Beirut as the sound of war returned to the city, with the Lebanese people questioning Hezbollah's decision to enter the conflict. Abu Yehya, a 41-year-old day labourer, and his family were among the tens of thousands who fled their homes on Monday, as Israeli bombs rained down on Lebanon. The family's harrowing journey took them back to the same spot in downtown Beirut where they had sought refuge during the last conflict, 18 months earlier. Hezbollah's decision to launch rockets at Israel in retaliation for the US-Israeli killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sparked a wave of anger and betrayal among Lebanese citizens and officials. The Lebanese government, fearing civil conflict, had previously tried to avoid confrontation with Hezbollah, but the group's actions led to a swift condemnation and a ban on Hezbollah's security and military functions. The country's ministry of social affairs reported a devastating toll, with at least 52 people killed and 29,000 displaced, as the war's impact on Lebanon's weary population became increasingly apparent.
