Lebanese Man Who’s Lived through Multiple Wars Says This One Has Been the Worst

A man rides his scooter past the debris of a destroyed building, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
A man rides his scooter past the debris of a destroyed building, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
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Lebanese Man Who’s Lived through Multiple Wars Says This One Has Been the Worst

A man rides his scooter past the debris of a destroyed building, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
A man rides his scooter past the debris of a destroyed building, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)

Mohammed Kaafarani has lived through multiple conflicts with Israel. But he says the past two months were the worst of them all.

“They were a nasty and ugly 60 days,” said Kaafarani, 59, who was displaced from the Lebanese village of Bidias, near the southern port city of Tyre.

Thousands of displaced people poured into the city Wednesday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect.

Kaafarani said the latest war was the most difficult because the bombardment was so intense. “We reached a point where there was no place to hide. Even buildings were destroyed.”

He said Tyre was left almost empty as most of its residents fled.

Kaafarani said he hopes his children and grandchildren will have a better future without wars because “our generation suffered and is still suffering.”

“The last two months were way too long,” said Kaafarani, whose home was badly damaged in the fighting. He vowed to fix it and continue on with life.



Israel Says It Arrests 4 Hezbollah Operatives in Southern Lebanon

 A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
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Israel Says It Arrests 4 Hezbollah Operatives in Southern Lebanon

 A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)
A general view of southern Lebanon, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, November 27, 2024. (Reuters)

Israel said its troops arrested on Wednesday four Hezbollah operatives, including a local commander, when they entered what it described as a restricted area in southern Lebanon.

The two sides entered into a ceasefire early Wednesday that appears to be holding, but Israel has said it will strike the group in response to any violations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the arrests in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

The statement said Israeli troops have been ordered to prevent people from returning to villages near the border, where the forces are still deployed.

The ceasefire agreement gives Israel and Hezbollah fighters 60 days to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon near the border. Thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers will patrol the area, and an international committee will monitor compliance.