Lebanon first responders/ Israeli offensive/ Lebanon humanitarian crisis/ civil defense in Lebanon/ Lebanon rescue operations/ Newslooks/ BEIRUT/ LEBANOPN/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Lebanon’s rescuers, struggling with outdated equipment and limited resources, are overwhelmed as they respond to the ongoing Israeli offensive. With over 1,000 people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced, the country’s infrastructure, already weakened by years of crisis, is failing to support rescue operations. Despite these challenges, civil defense teams continue to work under dangerous conditions.
Lebanon’s Rescuers Struggle Under Fire: Quick Looks
- Outdated Equipment: Rescue teams lack modern tools and protective gear.
- Casualties Rising: Israeli airstrikes have killed over 1,000 people, many of them civilians.
- Strained Resources: Hospitals and first responders are overwhelmed by the increasing death toll.
- Humanitarian Crisis: Cities like Tyre are facing catastrophic conditions as garbage piles up and medical staff flee.
Lebanon’s Rescuers Struggle with Old Equipment Amid Israeli Strikes
Deep Look
As Israel’s military campaign intensifies in Lebanon, the country’s civil defense teams are facing unprecedented challenges in responding to the growing crisis. Lebanon’s first responders, such as Mohamed Arkadan and his team, are working with outdated equipment, insufficient resources, and under constant threat of further attacks.
Responding to Destruction with Limited Resources
Arkadan, who has spent 17 years with Lebanon’s civil defense forces, was stunned by the destruction caused by recent Israeli bombings near Sidon. His team faced an overwhelming task: dozens of collapsed apartments with over 100 people buried beneath the rubble. In 24 hours, they managed to pull out more than 40 bodies and 60 survivors, including children, but their lack of equipment severely hindered their efforts.
“Our trucks and ambulances haven’t been replaced in years,” Arkadan said, adding that even basic rescue tools are in short supply. Many of the first responders buy their own uniforms, as Lebanon’s economic collapse has left the country unable to provide adequate support.
War Devastates Lebanon Once Again
Israel’s intensified offensive against Hezbollah, which began in mid-September, has resulted in more than 1,000 deaths in Lebanon, with nearly a quarter of the victims being women and children. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom are now sleeping in public spaces or on the streets.
The World Health Organization reported that over 30 primary healthcare centers in southern Lebanon have been forced to close, further straining the region’s capacity to handle the influx of wounded.
Israel has now launched limited ground operations and warned residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate as the fighting escalates. Over 50 towns and villages have been affected, and the Lebanese government, paralyzed by a political crisis, is unable to provide adequate aid or resources.
First Responders Overwhelmed
In the southern province of Tyre, hospitals are struggling to cope with the surge of patients, while doctors and other medical staff are fleeing alongside residents. In the hardest-hit areas, such as Nabatiyeh, first responders have been working non-stop to reach people wounded in the bombings, but their outdated equipment and lack of support make their job nearly impossible.
Arkadan described the desperate situation: “We used traditional tools, like scissors, cables, shovels,” to pull people from the wreckage. His team lacked modern rescue tools that would have made their work faster and more efficient. In many cases, they were forced to sift through rubble by hand, calling out to survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Despite the influx of additional first responders from Beirut, including specialized search-and-rescue units, the lack of pre-positioned supplies such as food and medicine further complicates the situation. Farmers in the region have been denied access to their land due to the bombings, and local authorities are struggling to maintain basic services.
Catastrophic Humanitarian Situation
In Tyre, which is just 20 kilometers from the Israeli border, the humanitarian crisis is worsening by the day. The city’s disaster management unit reports that more than 8,000 people have sought refuge there, but with no pre-positioned supplies or proper shelters, resources are stretched to the limit.
“The humanitarian situation is catastrophic,” said Hassan Dbouk, head of Tyre’s disaster management unit. Garbage is piling up on the streets, and the number of municipal workers has dropped from 160 to just 10, making it impossible to maintain even basic services.
In the province’s hospitals, the situation is equally dire. Wissam Ghazal, a health ministry official in Tyre, said that only five of the area’s 35 doctors remain. Several hospitals have been damaged by Israeli airstrikes, with some completely shutting down due to lack of electricity and supplies. As the number of killed civilians rises, hospitals are seeing more bodies than survivors.
Struggling to Cope
In Nabatiyeh, civil defense forces are severely depleted. Hosein Faqih, head of the region’s civil defense unit, said his team is working under “very difficult and critical circumstances.” With no protective gear, outdated vehicles, and several of his firefighters killed or injured, Faqih has been forced to limit rescue missions to residential areas, avoiding forests and other high-risk locations.
“We have no shields, no helmets, no extra hoses. The newest vehicle is 25 years old,” Faqih said. Despite these obstacles, his team continues their work, searching for survivors and extinguishing fires, often under fire themselves.
Faqih is realistic about the challenges but remains determined to serve his community. “These days, there is something difficult every day,” he said. “Body parts are everywhere, children, civilians, and bodies under rubble. We serve the people, and we will work with what we have.”
Conclusion: Rescuers Persevere Amid Crisis
Lebanon’s first responders, already operating under extreme conditions, now face even greater challenges as Israel’s offensive escalates. Despite a lack of modern equipment and dwindling resources, these civil defense teams continue to do everything they can to save lives. But without international support and an end to the violence, Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis will only deepen.
