On Wednesday night, around midnight, a missile struck a Hezbollah relief center, located less than 200 meters from the Belgian embassy in central Beirut. Waël, an embassy security guard, testifies: “This is insane. Israel struck within 200 meters of several embassies. They could have killed ambassadors. There is the British Embassy next door, and the United Nations less than 100 meters away. It’s pure madness.”
A few moments after the strike, the two Belgian journalists made the decision to go there to cover the event, the explosion having taken place near the residences of the foreign correspondents. Equipped with their cameras, bulletproof vests and helmets, they were intercepted by Amal supporters. Convinced that they were Israeli spies, these militiamen quickly targeted them. Faced with around twenty furious supporters, the journalists tried to flee while a wave of violence fell on them.
Stijn De Smet was shot twice in one leg, while Robin Ramaekers suffered several fractures to his face. Both were eventually brought to safety and treated. They are slowly recovering from their attack, according to the editor-in-chief of VTM Nieuws.
A climate of acute paranoia
This episode occurs at a time of extreme tension in the Lebanese capital. In the neighborhoods controlled by Amal and Hezbollah, where in normal times international correspondents already know that caution is necessary, the fear of a new Israeli strike is fueling growing paranoia.
Distrust of possible Israeli spies continues to grow throughout the country, particularly among activists of Islamist groups.
A supporter met in Bachoura, at the scene of the strike, asserts that “Israel is everywhere here. They have spies on every corner, but we don’t know where. Nasrallah was killed because of spies. We must hunt them down, we must clean our streets.” Everyone can now be seen as a potential spy.
The residents of Beirut live under constant pressure. Israeli drones constantly fly over the city, leaving behind an incessant trail of sound that weighs on the morale of the population.
Journalists present in the Lebanese capital must now respect a strict instruction: never go to the scene of an Israeli strike without having obtained prior authorization from the local authorities, in particular from the political group which controls the targeted area.
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