Reactions from streets of Tyre after two waves of deadly explosions in Lebanon

(19 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Near Tyre, Lebanon - 19 September 2024
1. Various of Harim Hospital
2. Mid of ambulance leaving
3. Various of wreckage from explosive device, including bike wreckage
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tyre, Lebanon - 19 September 2024
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Marwan Mahfouz, Tyre resident:
"He should just come in. He (Netanyahu) has been talking for a year about all-out war. What’s the delay? What’s the delay? He’s been threatening us throughout the last year about this all-out war. Okay, just do it. If we are going to die, we’ll die. We are already dying. We are already dead."
5. Various of people walking on the street
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Abuhashem, Tyre resident:
"Whatever happens is from God and is good. They (Israel) are the enemy. You can expect anything from them. But God is with us. We only fear God. Whatever they (Israel) do, we are not scared. We will remain loyal and determined. We will protect our land, and the resistance will continue to fight for victory."
7. Various of boats
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hassan Hajo, Tyre resident:
"I have relatives and friends who were hurt a bit. You know, an event like this is significant and unprecedented, so of course, we were a bit depressed about it. But, God willing, we believe in the resistance and have high hopes for them. We’ve been through worse before and managed to get through it. Today’s speech from Sayyed Hassan (Nasrallah) will boost our morale and restore our hope, just like in the beginning."
9. Wide of road
10. Wide of sign reading (Arabic): “In Defense of Lebanon and the South”
11. Wide of Lebanese flag
STORYLINE:
Residents in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre are reeling from the last two days of explosions in the country.
Hundreds of pagers and walkie talkies exploded simultaneously across Lebanon and parts of Syria this week.
The blasts happened wherever holders of the pagers were located, impacting multiple areas of Beirut and eastern and southern Lebanon-in homes, cars, grocery stores, cafes, and on the street, even during a funeral for victims of the bombings, often with family and bystanders nearby.
At least 37 people were killed and some 3,000 wounded in the explosions, which appeared to be the culmination of a monthslong operation by Israel to target as many Hezbollah members as possible all at once but also hit civilians.
Many of those killed and wounded were members of the militant Hezbollah group.
The explosions have rattled anxious Lebanese fearing a full-scale war between the group and Israel.
In Tyre, residents expressed varying opinions.
One local, Marwan Mahfouz, remarked that Netanyahu had been discussing all-out war for a year, questioning the delay and stating that if war is imminent, they are ready to face it.
Streets are emptier than usual as people fear more explosions.
The Lebanese Army said it has been locating and detonating suspicious pagers and communication devices, while the country’s civil aviation authorities banned pagers and walkie-talkies on all airplanes departing from Beirut’s international airport until further notice.
One device exploded in front of a parking lot in front of Harim hospital, just outside Tyre.
But many Lebanese are undeterred by talk of all-out war.
Hassan Hajo, whose family members and friends were injured by the exploding devices, expressed his believe in the resistance and have high hopes for it.
He believes today’s speech from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah will boost their morale and restore their hope, just as it did in the beginning.
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