Since the summer of 2013, terrorist bombings have targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. These were followed by threats from Jabhat al-Nusra in Lebanon and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) of new attacks in Shiite areas that represent a welcoming environment for Hezbollah. It is no secret that these attacks have caused a state of confusion among residents of these areas, especially in the southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley.
One could even say that many of the civilians residing in these areas are living with a "phobia" of explosions, and wait fearfully for the next blast. This is despite the fact that a large group of these people support Hezbollah — on both the religious and political levels — and believe that these sacrifices are necessary in the service of this political-religious line. According to them, these are sacrifices for the sake of God, to save the doctrine of the household of the prophet in the face of fundamentalist Wahhabi extremist groups.
Al-Monitor met with Ahmed Hossam, a pro-Hezbollah interior designer who resides in the Haret Hreik district in the southern suburbs. This area was targeted by four explosions in the span of about six months, which left more than 35 dead and dozens wounded. Hossam said that he leaves fate to God and trusts in him, and that he does not think about the next explosion and how to avoid it. Hossam explained that he knows it is nearly impossible to prevent suicide attacks, and he expects they will continue for the foreseeable future.
Ali Mahdi, a merchant who owns a clothing shop on Bir al-Abed street in Haret Hreik, complained to Al-Monitor about the effect these explosions are having on his business. According to him, some customers are afraid to visit the area, while others are unable to park their cars as a result of the security measures being taken in the neighborhood. Mahdi said that while business has decreased in Lebanon ever since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, it gets worse the longer the crisis goes on and the more the spark of war or explosions stretches to Lebanon, especially in Beirut's southern suburbs. However, he believes that this is a price that must be paid in this brutal war against "the resistance" and its stronghold, and that money becomes insignificant when compared to the sacrifices of the martyred and wounded.
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