BINT JBEIL, LEBANON — Every week, under the shadow of dilapidated stone arches, vendors sweep debris from stalls in Lebanon’s 145-year-old Souq al-Khamis, or “Thursday market.” For the shopkeepers returning to scorched storefronts and collapsed roofs, rebuilding is not a choice, but a rite.
“This souq has outlived far worse,” says one vendor, stacking salvaged ceramics. “It will outlive this too.”
Once a bustling commercial hub for the surrounding villages, Bint Jbeil became a ghost town as clashes intensified between Israel and Hezbollah in September 2024. Residents fled, leaving their homes and livelihoods. The historic market bore the brunt of the bombardment. Several air strikes left large swaths in ruins. {read}