Sidon sanctuary - High school shelters thousands as families flee Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

"Dr Nazih Bizri High School in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon has opened its doors to families displaced by Israeli airstrikes and evacuation warnings, as hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah continue to intensify. Footage filmed on Tuesday shows families seated among suitcases and blankets inside classrooms and across the school courtyard, turning the educational facility into an emergency shelter. "It took us 15 hours to get here. During that time, the children couldn’t eat or drink, and they couldn’t go to the bathroom,” said Yasmine Banjak, one of those who fled. “What has this child done to deserve this panic?” she added, referring to her young daughter. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, at least 14 shelters have been opened and equipped across Sidon, now hosting more than 6,000 displaced people. Authorities say facilities have reached maximum capacity as new arrivals continue. The displacement follows a sharp escalation. On Monday, Hezbollah announced it had launched rockets and drones targeting Israel’s Mishmar HaCarmel missile defence compound, describing the operation as retaliation for the reported assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader. The Israeli military said it responded with strikes on several villages in southern Lebanon after issuing evacuation warnings. Beirut’s southern suburbs were also targeted earlier in the day. The renewed violence has triggered fresh waves of displacement, with families fleeing to safer areas within Lebanon, while some have crossed into neighbouring Syria amid fears of further escalation."