‘Nothing will bring back my son’: How 10 minutes of bombing by Israel shattered lives in Lebanon

A Neighborhood Transformed

Nothing will bring back my son – In the southern Beirut suburbs, the Hay el Sellom neighborhood has been transformed into a scene of devastation. Once a bustling, densely populated area, it now resembles a war-torn wasteland of collapsed concrete, twisted metal, and exposed wires. Homes stand as layers of rubble, staircases lead to nowhere, and the hum of daily life has been replaced by an eerie silence. Residents recall a time when the community was calm, untouched by the broader conflict, until the afternoon of April 8. Despite repeated Israeli strikes on other parts of the southern suburbs, where Hezbollah operates, few in Hay el Sellom left their homes. They had no alternative but to stay, believing the area would remain relatively safe.

The Day the Silence Broke

The violence erupted on a Wednesday at 14:15 local time, marking the beginning of a catastrophic 10-minute barrage. According to Israeli reports, nearly 100 targets were hit across Lebanon in that brief window, with the Hay el Sellom neighborhood bearing the brunt of the destruction. Among the casualties was Mohammed’s son, Abbas, who was asleep in his home when the building collapsed. “The three floors above mine all fell into one room,” Mohammed recounted. “They all came down together… on top of him.” The blast left the family in devastation, a tragedy that became emblematic of the broader toll.

“I wish it was just my home that I lost, and that my son survived. This brick can be rebuilt. But nothing will bring back my son,” he said.

The Scope of the Devastation

Lebanese authorities confirmed that the attack resulted in 361 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. Our analysis of verified footage, social media posts, and satellite imagery revealed at least five consecutive strikes targeting Hay el Sellom. The narrow roads between tightly packed buildings hampered rescue operations, leaving families trapped beneath rubble. Residents described the chaos: voices crying for help, messages sent in desperation, and the relentless wait for relief. Ghassan Jawad, one of the first to arrive at a nearby hospital, shared his harrowing experience. “I suddenly found myself underground,” he said. “I thought I was dead.” The sounds of screams echoed through the streets, a haunting reminder of the day’s brutality.

“I star…” Ghassan’s quote cuts off, capturing the trauma of that moment.

Voices of Loss

After the attack, Mohammed’s grief became a focal point of his story. He emphasized that all who died were civilians, vowing not to stay in a building if Hezbollah had been present. “If I thought there was even a 1% chance that someone from Hezbollah lived here, I wouldn’t have stayed,” he explained. “I would never risk my son’s life.” His words reflect a common sentiment among survivors, who blamed Hezbollah for the assault despite the group’s role as a target. In an interview with local media, Mohammed expressed sympathy for Hezbollah, urging it to protect Lebanon in the aftermath.

Hay el Sellom’s residents were not alone in their loss. The attack unfolded during a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which had paused a wider regional war. Though Israel claimed Lebanon was not a target, the bombing shattered the hope of a peaceful respite. The neighborhood’s fate became a symbol of the war’s relentless impact, with families left to rebuild their lives from the ashes.

Context of the Conflict

The destruction in Hay el Sellom was part of Israel’s broader campaign to weaken Hezbollah. Since the start of the war, Israeli forces had conducted repeated strikes on Hezbollah positions, including evacuation orders and air attacks in the southern suburbs. The group had previously retaliated by launching rockets into Israel on March 2, in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran. This led to a wider Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, with the goal of dismantling Hezbollah’s leadership. The temporary ceasefire, announced on April 8, had brought cautious optimism, but the bombing quickly turned that hope into despair.

While Israel’s military claims focused on targeting Hezbollah command centers and military sites, the casualty count tells a different story. Lebanese health ministry reports indicate that over 80 people were killed in Hay el Sellom alone, with at least 15 of them children. The ambiguity surrounding the targets added to the tragedy, as residents questioned the necessity of such a concentrated strike. Some Israeli media reported that Ali Mohammed Ghulam Dahini, a senior Hezbollah figure, was among those killed in the neighborhood. A memorial poster also identified him as a Hezbollah fighter, further fueling speculation about the attack’s purpose.

Despite these claims, the Israel Defense Forces did not confirm whether Dahini was a direct target. This lack of transparency left residents like Mohammed to grapple with the aftermath, weighing their own survival against the risk of their loved ones. “Maybe, since I’m 45 years old, I wouldn’t worry about the risk to myself,” Mohammed said. “But a young man with his whole life ahead of him—would I put him in a building if anyone was there?” His words underscore the moral and emotional toll of the conflict, where every strike carries the weight of unintended consequences.

Legacy of the Attack

As the weeks passed, the memory of the 10-minute bombing lingered in the hearts of those who survived. The neighborhood, once a symbol of resilience, now bore the scars of war. For families like Mohammed’s, the loss was irreparable. The destruction of homes and the deaths of civilians stood in stark contrast to the military objectives, highlighting the human cost of the conflict. In the days following, the BBC visited the site to understand the scale of the devastation. The ruins told a story of survival, loss, and the unyielding will to rebuild, even as the shadows of war loomed large.

The attack on Hay el Sellom serves as a poignant reminder of the fragile balance between military strategy and civilian safety. As Lebanon continues to recover, the voices of those affected echo a shared sentiment: the pain of losing a son, a brother, or a neighbor will remain etched in memory, far beyond the fleeting impact of a single strike.