Frustrations grow in pro-Hezbollah communities over delayed aid

On the corner of Lebanon‘s iconic Nabatieh market, Ahmad Al-Sayed stands among the ruins of his clothing store, his face a mixture of disbelief and exhaustion. 

Israel’s war on Lebanon that has reduced his shop, a two-story building that once housed hundreds of imported goods, into a pile of rubble, had ended nearly three months ago, yet he says no improvement has happened to his circumstances.

“My life’s work is gone,” he told The New Arab. “All the effort, all the dreams—it’s as if they never existed,” said al-Sayed, who asked to be referred to by a pseudonym.

Like most of the Lebanese in the south, al-Sayyed expected swift compensation from Hezbollah, the political and military group that has long exercised de facto control over much of that region, including Nabatieh. But instead, the assistance was slow and insufficient, triggering growing frustration among business owners in pro-Hezbollah communities. 

Two deadlines after the brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on 27 November, his shelves that were once stocked with imported goods in the vital commercial hub and historic market in southern Lebanon, are broken and buried beneath the rubble of what is left of his shop. Indiscriminate Israeli strikes during the latest war had left him with $40,000 in losses, on top of the complete destruction of his store, and an allegiance that is unable to offer him help.

 “We’re left to our own devices,” he grimly said.

A community left waiting

Nabatieh, one of the largest cities in southern Lebanon, lies just 11 kilometres from the border. The town was among the hardest hit during Israel‘s indiscriminate airstrikes, which, according to Israeli claims, were aimed at stopping Hezbollah from launching rockets and missiles. The conflict along the Lebanese front began after Israel’s war on Gaza, with Hezbollah stating that its involvement was in solidarity with Palestinians, launching attacks on Israeli military sites in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa farms on 8 October.  

Estimates suggest that more than 100,000 residential and commercial units were damaged or destroyed. Among the city’s devastated landmarks was its Ottoman-era market, the commercial heart of Nabatieh, which was completely destroyed on 12 October 2024. 

According to Waseem Badr, former head of Nabatieh Traders Association, the economic cost is over $4 billion in direct and indirect losses, with more than 5,000 organisations suffering damage. 

While most homeowners have received temporary housing compensation, business owners remain in limbo.

According to Badr, the compensation process is slow and bureaucratic, with payouts arriving in small, sporadic instalments. 

“Some businesses received limited compensation that doesn’t exceed $3,000. However, for those whose businesses were completely destroyed, there has been no clear commitment to compensation,” he told TNA. 

Why is Hezbollah struggling?

Most business owners had their eyes on Hezbollah to send in money to shore up its support base like it did after the 2006 war. But neither the devastation Lebanon faces, nor the support the party and the country is receiving, matches those following the 2006 conflict.

According to the World Bank, war-related damages to “physical structures alone” throughout the 15 months of fighting amount to $3.4 billion, including destroyed houses and businesses. While donor countries pledged $750 million in humanitarian aid to support the cash-strapped country, only a fraction of that was delivered.

As for Hezbollah, its General Secretary Naim Qassem said in December the party had spent more than $50 million on families, mostly supplied by Iran.

Lebanon’s most powerful political and military force, is facing its worst crisis in decades. In over a year of conflict before a ceasefire in November, Israel inflicted heavy losses on Hezbollah, killing fighters and senior officials, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Beyond the human losses, Hezbollah faces unprecedented financial strain.

Israeli airstrikes specifically targeted Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure, including branches of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a financial institution that operates outside the Lebanese banking system. Reports suggest these strikes hit cash storage facilities, further limiting Hezbollah’s ability to disburse funds.

Unlike in 2006, when Iranian-backed compensation flowed swiftly, this time, even Hezbollah officials have acknowledged that the Lebanese state must take the lead in reconstruction efforts.

In his December statement, Hezbollah‘s leader, Qassem, said: “We will stand by the state’s side during the reconstruction phase.”

The Lebanese government role

Leaders including Nabatieh Traders Association Head Youssef Shumaysani have also called on the Lebanese government to take responsibility.

“The state must move faster to clear the rubble, compensate business owners and farmers, and start reconstruction,” Shemmisani said, emphasising that the destruction of Nabatieh’s commercial district leaves a massive economic void in the city. 

However, Lebanon‘s government is financially incapable of handling reconstruction. 

Even the Council for South Lebanon, the state body tasked with assessing damage, has moved “as slow as a tortoise” pace according to Badr, with political conditions attached to foreign aid further complicating matters.

For many in Nabatieh, waiting for compensation is no longer an option.

Some, like Jalal Nasr, an owner of a well-known coffee shop, chose to start rebuilding on their own. He has set up a chair and a hookah atop of his destroyed shop to “give people hope”.

From the first hours after the ceasefire, he started clearing the wreckage of his business. Despite losing over $100,000, he began repairs immediately, without waiting for Hezbollah or the Lebanese government to step in. 

“Returning is a victory in itself,” Nasr said. 

Others, like Ahmed Mawassi, have given up on Nabatieh altogether and made the difficult choice to relocate outside the city in search of financial stability for his family of five.

“I lost my livelihood,” Mawassi said after moving his small coffee shop to a different town. “I’ve lost around $9,000. But my biggest loss is having to leave Nabatieh market,” he said.

This piece was published in collaboration with Egab.