PM Salam in South Lebanon: Reconstruction, relief, and recovery

Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam toured several heavily damaged border towns in South Lebanon, where residents described near-total destruction, deserted neighborhoods, and deep frustration over years of what they see as state absence.

Salam's visit took him through communities along the front-line area in the districts of Tyre and Bint Jbeil, accompanied by Lebanese Army units. The report noted a visible absence of U.N. peacekeepers during the tour, in what was portrayed as a message emphasizing the army's role and the government's intent to extend state authority in the region.

In town after town, residents recounted stories of displacement and loss. In the villages of Tayr Harfa and Jebbayn, locals delivered a unified message to the prime minister: they would not abandon their land. A short distance away, in Yarine—home to many from the Arab al-Aramshe community—the reception was divided, with some welcoming Salam with flowers, while others voiced strong resentment toward the state.

As Salam moved from the Tyre district into Bint Jbeil, he visited Ain Ebel and Rmeish, where church bells rang as residents gathered. He later walked through the village of Aita al-Shaab, where the report said that around 90% of the homes had been destroyed, and listened to residents' demands.

Earlier, at the headquarters of the Bint Jbeil Union of Municipalities, in the presence of lawmakers from the region, Salam reiterated the government's position on restoring state authority in the south.

Salam aimed to send three political messages through a tour that included areas of different religious communities and districts expected to be included in the first phase of reconstruction.

First, the government is renewing its commitment to rebuilding, as outlined in its ministerial statement. The presence of the energy and education ministers, along with senior officials from Lebanon's Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), the Higher Relief Committee, and the Council of the South, was presented as an indication that the government intends to follow through.

Second, after the Lebanese Army established operational control over areas south of the Litani River, Salam sought to underscore that the state's presence would extend beyond military deployment, in a region residents say has long experienced state neglect.

Third, Salam's message to the people of the south was that a dignified life is a national right that cannot be divided, and that the state will remain alongside them.