Concern grows among local Lebanese community as bombings continue in the Middle East

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Lebanese people in North Carolina are increasingly concerned about their loved ones still in their home country as the conflict in the Middle East widens into Lebanon.

A two-day bombing campaign by Israeli forces claimed the lives of roughly 560 people. While the bombings target Hezbollah targets, and a top Hezbollah commander was killed, innocent Lebanese people are being caught in the crossfire.

ABC11 spoke with Raleigh residents who have family in Lebanon. George Harb just returned from Lebanon earlier this month after visiting with his family for a wedding.

"The first thing from my mind was my family and my wife's family, who are still there," Harb told us. "We are concerned about that because they're in and out of the city. They all work in the city. They travel through the city. And with the situation that was going on with the random explosions that were going off, there's no telling where those are going off and where they were going to be and what they were impacted or not."

Harb was born in Lebanon but moved to the United States as a child to escape the civil war.

He noted that the country was already grappling with an economic crisis when this recent conflict began. While the country is not new to war, this particular conflict does feel different to Harb and his loved ones in Lebanon.

"They're concerned about their own safety, obviously, on the safety of everybody else around them. Their biggest concern is that this will escalate the way it did in Palestine and Gaza and Beirut will turn into just another situation just like it is in Gaza. That's the biggest concern," Harb said, adding that many are not in good enough health to leave the country if an all-out war does extend into Lebanon.

Harb said the country is not as big as people might think, saying it's roughly the size of Connecticut. Even though his family doesn't live directly where the bombings are taking place, they can still hear the blasts.

The attack came as people in Raleigh celebrated Lebanese culture during their annual Taste of Lebanon event over the weekend. ABC11 spoke with Yvone Najm, who was an organizer of the event.

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"We over the weekend were literally just celebrating our culture, culture and heritage through the taste of Lebanon, and then as I'm posting videos still from that weekend, I hear what's going on that morning and it's just devastating. It's like you feel guilty celebrating anything when you know that your friends and family are literally fearing their lives right now," Najm said.

Najm coincidentally was also at a separate wedding in Lebanon earlier this month. She made it home just days before the bombings took place.

Her concern remains high for her loved ones still in the country.

"I have really a lot of anxiety. I'm really sad and stressed out like we're worried. We try to contact them and make sure that everyone's safe, and that's all we can do is pray for them," Najm said.

ABC11 also spoke with 17-year-old Andy Guorgui. His mother was born and raised in Lebanon, and he still has lots of family in the country.

Guorgui has several cousins around his age and is keeping in close contact with them as the bombings hit the country. He was just texting with one cousin, and the contrast between his life and his cousin's life right now really struck him.

"He doesn't feel safe. He doesn't feel comfortable and I read the messages and like, you know, I like to talk, but this time it just left me speechless," Guorgui said.

The biggest thing Harb, Najm and Guorgui wanted to make clear is that while the bombings are targeting Hezbollah, innocent people in Lebanon are also paying the price.

"They're caught in a really tough situation. They don't want any part of any war. They just want peace," Najm said.

"This is not Lebanon's fight. There's just caught in the middle, and people are dying," Harb said.