Summer 2006 War

On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah fighters crossed into Israel, killed eight soldiers, and kidnapped two others. In response, Israel launched a full-scale attack on Lebanon, starting with bombing Beirut International Airport and invading the south of the country. The war lasted 33 days and mainly targeted South Lebanon and the southern areas of Beirut, aiming to eliminate Hezbollah from South Lebanon. The war significantly changed the urban, social, and political fabric of South Lebanon and the Dahiyeh, the Beirut southern suburbs. Over a thousand Lebanese civilians were killed in the span of a month. Despite some Israeli strategic and military wins, the war revived Hezbollah's political and popular presence while amplifying the already polarizing political climate around its arms.