“Missiles Were Dropping on Both Sides of the Road”

1:00 PM, Monday 23 September – South of Lebanon. The South had been enduring relentless missile attacks and airstrikes for some time before we finally made the decision to flee our home. In the weeks leading up to our escape, we lived in constant fear as hundreds of missiles fell daily. But on Monday, September 23, at around 1 PM, the airstrikes took a terrifying turn.

They became far more violent, targeting residential buildings and destroying main roads, leaving them blocked. The force of the blasts shattered windows and glass all around us. I remember vividly seeing two missiles land right before my eyes with seconds in between. Thus, I immediately asked my young siblings and mother to get in the car.

What was supposed to be a 90 minutes journey turned into an exhausting 11 hours ordeal. Missiles were dropping on both sides of the road, and we had no food, water, or sleep. We finally arrived in Beirut at midnight, hoping it would be a safer place. At some point during the trip, my car window shattered—though I couldn’t even tell when or how—and I realized I had inhaled a significant amount of smoke as I was coughing and sneezing up gray particles. We left home with almost nothing, poorly displaced and unable to find a decent place to stay due to the overwhelming demand and absurdly high prices.

I am not sure if my house was destroyed or not, but my home town was.

I think the most overwhelming part is having to check on your loved ones every time a missile hits the ground.

May God protect your families and loved ones, and may you never face the hardship of being forced to leave your home. May you always find safety and peace♥️

E.