Even before the Israeli military began their ground incursions into Lebanon’s south, and Iran launched its barrage of missiles towards Israel, tension has been ratcheting up by the hour here in Beirut.
Hamra Street was once known as the Lebanese capital’s Champs Élysées, a bustling hub, lined with cafes and restaurants, home to hotels, fashionable shops, nightclubs, and the American University. It is at once a symbol of the city’s glamorous, cosmopolitan past, its untapped potential, and the grim realities of the present in this long-suffering country.
