The Nightmares of Beirut: When Sleep is a Luxury

Beirut, once a city filled with joyful sounds, now resonates with the ominous hum of Israeli strikes that strike at night. The sun sets and residents are left in fear, unable to sleep due to the uncertainty of where and when the next attack will hit. In Salim Salam, close to the hard-hit Bachoura neighborhood, makeup artist Hala Kobaissi shares her horror as explosions tore through the city. "It feels like nowhere is safe anymore," she said, her voice trembling with fear. As more than a million people have been displaced and over a thousand killed due to Israel's intensified military offensive, families in Lebanon are left with no choice but to sleep outdoors or in crowded shelters. School instructor Rayan Youness describes the sleepless nights filled with terror. "People are staying up late, wondering who will be next," he said, questioning if this is normal living.Dr. Tania Baban, working to provide medical aid and safety, finds herself caught in a cycle of fear as nightly strikes force her to flee again and again. She worries about how anyone can sleep knowing that drones are constantly circling overhead. "As soon as the sun goes down, we know something will happen," she said with a grim expression. Military experts suggest that striking at night gives an advantage to those with advanced technology like night vision goggles. Israel might be acting on urgent intelligence or exploiting weaknesses in enemy ranks during the night. For ordinary Lebanese, this constant fear and lack of sleep have become their daily reality, with no clear end in sight to this horrifying situation.