Syrians fleeing Israeli strikes in Lebanon return home to a country still rebuilding

More than 100,00 Syrian refugees have crossed back into their home country from Lebanon this month, fleeing escalating violence to return to a place that's still struggling to rebuild after more than a decade of civil war.

At the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing — the main entry point between Lebanon and Syria — buses and cars arrived packed with families fleeing intense Israeli bombardment and escalating fighting in Lebanon. Some had mattresses strapped to the tops of vehicles, their belongings piled high.

Several Syrians agreed to speak about why they were leaving Lebanon and their journey to the border, but did not want to share their full names with CBC News. Some because they were in a rush to cross the border and get their families to safety, while others feared repercussions from Lebanese authorities should they return to that country. 

Fatimah, a Syrian woman crossing with her children, says her family lived in southern Lebanon for two years after fleeing Syria's civil war. She broke down in tears describing an airstrike that hit the home of her sister-in-law’s son in southern Lebanon, killing him and his wife.

"They were newly married, only five months," she cried. "They haven’t seen anything yet in life. What was their fault to be killed?"

Lebanon was sucked into this new war ​after Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2. Israel has since intensified airstrikes across Lebanon — including southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold.

"We escaped one war and came back to another war," Fatimah said. Now, as the war escalates she again finds herself trying to keep her family safe from conflict. 

"My children were freezing," she said, describing the harsh conditions as the temperatures dropped. "I held them in my lap so they could feel safe."

The roughly 120 to 160 kilometre journey from southern Lebanon to the crossing — called Masnaa on the Lebanese side and Jedeidet Yabous on the Syrian side — typically takes a few hours by car. Without a vehicle, it can now take days.

Some were forced to leave their belongings behind. Fatimah pointed to her clothing. "I left with only these."

Many people fasting for the holy month of Ramadan arrived at the border shortly before the evening Iftar meal, exhausted and struggling to stand. They were greeted by Syrian Civil Defence crews and civil organizations, who transported the injured and provided first aid while distributing water, dates and snacks.

Some people are returning to their hometowns or staying temporarily with family, while others hope to find work so they can rent a place. Fatimah's husband, who remained in Lebanon to help bury his relatives, plans to join them later in Syria.

Syria’s uprising began in 2011, and Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon soon entered Syria to support Bashar al-Assad's government. Millions of Syrians were displaced and hundreds of thousands made their way to Lebanon.

At the crossing, a Syrian man living in Mansourieh said he fled the town just east of Beirut after Israeli strikes escalated. He said many of the strikes were hitting predominantly Shia neighbourhoods under Hezbollah’s control.