**Beirut Schools on Edge as Israeli Strikes Renew Conflict Fears**

The community grapples with trauma, as evacuation drills and destruction become part of daily life in schools once thought safe.

On a seemingly ordinary Friday in Dahieh, a suburb of Beirut, an urgent post from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) plunged the area into confusion and fear. The warning, delivered in Arabic via social media, specified a marked building linked to Hezbollah and announced the impending evacuation of local schools, as an airstrike loomed. This caused a rush of parents to the schools, desperate to reach their children, while many locals hurriedly fled the area, plagued by uncertainty and anxiety.

Ahmad Alama, director of St Georges School, described the tensions: "It was total chaos. We tried to contain the situation as much as we could, but it was crazy." The marked building was destroyed, identified by Israeli officials as a storage site for Hezbollah drones, representing a severe escalation in hostilities mere weeks after a ceasefire aimed to stabilize the region.

Despite the fragile peace established after extensive fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that started in October 2023, Israeli functions have remained active, executing almost daily attacks against perceived Hezbollah targets, particularly in southern Lebanon. The airstrikes in Dahieh signaled a troubling resurgence of violence, drawing immediate reactions from Hezbollah, which denied involvement in recent rocket fire towards Israel, prompting further military actions from the Israeli side.

Schools like St Georges are now redefining safety protocols, developing evacuation plans and conducting drills to assure children and parents amidst ongoing fears of bombings. Alama shares that the intent is to maintain a semblance of normalcy for the nearly 1,000 students under his care while acknowledging the persistent trauma they face. The institution steers clear of cutting back on extracurricular activities, opting instead to amplify them as a necessary outlet for stress and anxiety.

Meanwhile, the impact of the recent airstrikes reverberates through the community. The physical landscape of Dahieh has transformed into a scene of disarray with countless buildings left in ruins, a stark reminder of past conflicts. Municipal assessments estimate substantial destruction, with hundreds of structures either fully or partially damaged due to Israeli military operations. The once-vibrant suburb is now marred by reminders of devastation, including bulldozers clearing rubble amidst a shifting, though still wary, community.

In parallel, the educational sector remains under strain. Schools like Burj High School have seen a drastic decrease in enrollment, with less than 100 of the previous 600 pupils returning as many parents prioritize safety over education. Yet, as reconstruction pledges loom from the government backed by international insistence on political reforms and disarmament of militia groups, the focus on immediate needs grows increasingly critical amid lingering daily fears. The ongoing strife fuels a deeply rooted trepidation in the hearts of residents who now grapple with questions of safety, stability, and the hope for a peaceful future.