Sun Nov 17 02:43:07 UTC 2024: ## Beirut Businesses Struggle Amidst Ongoing Israeli Strikes
**Beirut, Lebanon – November 17, 2024** – Businesses in southern Beirut are facing crippling losses and displacement due to escalating Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds. The conflict, which intensified in late September, has forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee, leaving behind devastated commercial districts.
Pharmacist Lina al-Khalil, who inherited her family business in Haret Hreik, exemplifies the struggles of many. Despite the near-daily threat of airstrikes forcing evacuations, she continues to operate her pharmacy, albeit with significantly reduced staff and income. She has moved her stock to a safer location and now delivers medication to her dwindling clientele.
Grocer Mehdi Zeitar lost his home in an airstrike but clings to his vegetable stall, operating it for a few hours daily amidst damaged buildings. He describes the situation as “hide-and-seek,” constantly fleeing strikes and returning to a business with virtually no customers.
The World Bank recently reported that the Lebanese commercial sector suffered $1.7 billion in losses over the past year due to the conflict, adding to the pre-existing economic crisis. Approximately 11% of establishments in conflict zones, particularly in Tyre, Sidon, and Nabatiyeh, have been damaged. Supply chains are disrupted, and consumer spending is limited to essentials.
Clothing store owners Ali Mahdi and his brother have relocated their business to Beirut’s Hamra district, facing increased rents and prejudice against displaced residents. They have laid off employees and reduced salaries for those remaining, facing an uncertain future.
Even those who have attempted to rebuild face devastating setbacks. Abdel Rahman Zahr El-Din’s cafe, destroyed in a recent strike, is now reduced to rubble, leaving him without income.
The situation highlights the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on the Lebanese economy and its citizens, compounding the existing economic hardship and forcing businesses to struggle for survival amidst constant fear and uncertainty.
First Piper 