Lebanon: A Family's Memories Shattered as Village is Destroyed

Photo : AFP

Ayman Jaber's memories are deeply intertwined with Mhaibib, a village in southern Lebanon that he affectionately refers to as his “habibti,” which means “beloved” in Arabic. The name itself means “the lover,” and for Jaber, this place is a part of his identity. At 45, he reminisces fondly about a childhood sweetheart, recalling how they would meet in a courtyard near his uncle's house, a spot that holds a special place in his heart. “I used to wait for her there to see her,” he recalls with a smile, adding, “Half of the village knew about us.” 

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However, the warmth of these memories is starkly contrasted by the recent devastation of his hometown. On October 16, Mhaibib, perched on a hill close to the Israeli border, was completely destroyed by a series of explosions. A video released by the Israeli army showed blasts tearing through the village, reducing numerous homes to rubble. 

This destruction is not isolated; it reflects a broader pattern of violence in southern Lebanon since Israel launched its military invasion a month ago, aiming to push Hezbollah militants back from the border. Just ten days later, massive explosions in and around Odaisseh triggered earthquake alerts in northern Israel, further showcasing the extent of the conflict. Israel has stated its intent to dismantle a significant network of Hezbollah tunnels in the region, but for displaced residents like Jaber and his family, these attacks obliterate not just buildings, but a lifetime of cherished memories.

Jaber had been living in Aramoun, just south of Beirut, before the war escalated. His family evacuated from Mhaibib amid increasing border skirmishes, leaving behind their belongings. Some family members sought refuge in Syria, while Jaber's father and two sisters, Zeinab and Fatima, moved in with him in their temporary home. In the living room, they sip Arabic coffee as their father chain-smokes, the atmosphere heavy with loss. 

“My father breaks my heart. He is 70 years old, frail, and has been waiting for over a year to return to Mhaibib,” Zeinab shares. “He left his five cows there. He keeps asking, ‘Do you think they’re still alive?’” 

Mhaibib was once a tight-knit rural community, boasting around 70 historic stone homes lining narrow streets. Families cultivated crops such as tobacco, wheat, mulukhiyah (jute mallow), and olives, rising before dawn to harvest during the hot summer months. The village also held historical significance with an ancient shrine dedicated to Benjamin, the son of Jacob, recognized in both Judaism and Islam. This shrine was damaged in the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah but was later restored. Now, it, along with the old stone mosque that overlooked the village, has been completely destroyed.

Hisham Younes, who manages the environmental organization Green Southerners, expresses his sorrow for the lost heritage. He emphasizes the cultural significance of Mhaibib, highlighting the craftsmanship of its one- and two-story stone homes, many of which were built by Jaber’s grandfather and his contemporaries. “Detonating an entire village is a form of collective punishment and a war crime,” he asserts. “What do they gain from destroying shrines, churches, and old homes?”

Abdelmoe’m Shucair, the mayor of nearby Mays el Jabal, notes that the last few families residing in Mhaibib fled before the extensive destruction began, as did residents from surrounding areas. Jaber's sisters had attended school in Mays al-Jabal, which also fell victim to the blasts, leaving the community shattered.

After completing her studies in Beirut, Zeinab worked at a pharmacy in Blida, a neighboring village that was also destroyed during the military action. Their family cemetery, where generations of their relatives were buried, has been bulldozed. “I don’t belong to any political group,” Zeinab laments. “Why did my home, my life, have to be taken from me?” Unable to bear the sight of her village’s destruction, she turns away when her brother plays the video. 

Fatima copes by closing her eyes and mentally returning to Mhaibib, envisioning vibrant sunsets and family gatherings on their patio surrounded by their mother’s flowers. She recalls how they painstakingly expanded their home over a decade: “It took us ten years to add just one room. First, my dad laid the flooring, then the walls, the roof, and the glass windows. My mom sold a year’s worth of homemade preserves to furnish it,” she says, her voice heavy with grief. “And it was gone in an instant.” 

In the midst of turmoil, Zeinab married quietly and is now six months pregnant, hoping to return to Mhaibib for the delivery. Jaber shares memories of how, when he was born, Mhaibib was under Israeli occupation. He recalls the long journey from Beirut to Mhaibib, filled with security checks and interrogations that took hours. Once home, there was a pervasive sense of being under surveillance.

The family had previously fled during the 2006 war with Israel. Upon their return, they found their homes vandalized but still standing. They had lost loved ones, including an uncle and grandmother, during the conflict, yet a loquat tree planted by their matriarch remained. Now, with the village destroyed, that tree, too, has vanished.

Jaber fears that Israel may establish a permanent military presence in southern Lebanon, jeopardizing his dreams of rebuilding the home he had constructed over six years for himself, his wife, and their two sons. “When this war ends, we’ll go back,” Ayman declares quietly. “We’ll pitch tents if we have to and stay until we rebuild our houses.”

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