WORLD CAPITALS — Thousands of foreigners scrambling to flee war-ravaged Lebanon spoke of terror and destruction inflicted on the tiny Arab country by the Israeli military juggernaut.
"It was horrible. I saw dead children, some missing legs and arms," 27-year-old Guadalupe Arana told Agence France-Presse (AFP) at Madrid airport.
"It was very difficult to get out - we had to run the gauntlet through Tyre and Sidon," she said, referring to two Lebanese towns targeted by Israeli strikes.
"It's a miracle I made it."
A man from Barcelona spoke of "terror and destruction all around" the Arab country.
"It's just chaotic."
The two were members of a 152-strong batch of people flown out of Lebanon on a government-chartered jet carrying mostly women and children.
Since July 12 Israel has killed more than 300 people, all but 23 are civilians, in deadly air strikes.
More than 500 people have been wounded.
Beirut international airport has been knocked out, ports bombed, bridges destroyed, power stations set ablaze and houses turned to rubble in scenes reminiscent of the country's devastating 1975-1990 civil war.
Around 15 petrol stations have been blown up, along with fuel depots and water pumping stations.
The onslaught has also left Lebanon virtually cut off from the outside world with an Israeli air and sea blockade.
The highway from Beirut to the Syrian capital Damascus was cut on Tuesday after being repeatedly hit in recent days.
Terror
Evacuee spoke of destruction everywhere in Lebanon. (Reuters)
The Israeli bloody offensive will only not only psychologically scars on Lebanese children alone.
"We could hear the bombs falling. I was afraid," said a seven-year-old girl.
Italy's Telenews news agency said evacuees arriving in Rome also spoke of bloody scenes of war.
A girl living in Lebanon said she was "sick only to think of it.
"Every day the situation gets worse; there are no words."
Cristina Foti, who works at the Italian cultural institute in Tripoli and is married to a Lebanese, said she left for the sake of her 13-day-old daughter.
"I could not stand this atmosphere of war. People were very courageous."
But she added that she would go back to Lebanon as soon as calm returns.
"Lebanon is unfortunately again engulfed by conflict. I'm very much afraid of this escalation, for my parents and all Lebanese," said Alessandro Salameh, one of the evacuees.
"The international community must find a solution because this is not a regional problem but a regional international one. I've seen a war," he added.
Exodus
Thousands of foreigners were still scrambling to flee Israel's bombardment of Lebanon Wednesday. (Reuters)
Thousands of foreigners were still scrambling to flee Israel's bombardment of Lebanon Wednesday.
The mass evacuation gained momentum after Israel launched more deadly air attacks on the seventh day of its bloody.
Apparently agreeing to briefly halt Lebanon's sea blockade, Israel said it has made arrangements with several Western governments for a major evacuation of foreign nationals from Lebanon Wednesday involving 20 vessels.
Ships with hundreds of foreigners on board were set to arrive Wednesday on the tranquil Mediterranean island of Cyprus, with no ceasefire in sight to end Israel's relentless campaign.
Britain, hoping to evacuate some 5,000 of its nationals by the end of the week, started to pull out the first 180 British citizens on board the destroyer HMS Gloucester.
Also due to arrive in Cyprus was a Norwegian charter ship with 1,100 people including 500 Swedes and several hundred Americans on board.
The US ordered nine warships to waters off the Lebanese coast to bring out thousands of Americans.
It flew 120 citizens out of Beirut Tuesday on the third day of an air bridge that is to be followed by a mass evacuation by sea, amid criticism that Washington's reaction has been too slow.
The United Nations said it was evacuating all non-essential staff from the Arab country.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora accused Israel of "committing massacres against Lebanese civilians and working to destroy everything that allows Lebanon to stay alive."
He said the intensifying aggression "in this barbaric way proves that Israel has decided to push Lebanon back 50 years."
I was actually hopeful that the Lebanese would finally see an era of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, Hezbollah had other ideas, and so do the Israelis.
I was actually hopeful that the Lebanese would finally see an era of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, Hezbollah had other ideas, and so do the Israelis.
Salaam,
I am quite surpirsed you say such,that you are hopeful that lebanon will see peace.
Dont you wish for your Prophecy of rapture to happen?
that is whta the westrn world are not doing anything to stop the Isrealis from perfroming genocide.
That is why Born agian bush loves to defend Israel even when theya re wrong.
Peace shall never come as long as justice is blocked.
I am quite surpirsed you say such,that you are hopeful that lebanon will see peace.
Dont you wish for your Prophecy of rapture to happen?
that is whta the westrn world are not doing anything to stop the Isrealis from perfroming genocide.
That is why Born agian bush loves to defend Israel even when theya re wrong.
Peace shall never come as long as justice is blocked.
Hyprocrisy
Firstly, there is no genocide going on. Secondly, I'm not sure what your so-called "prophecy of rapture" has to do with anything. Thirdly, every American president has been supportive of Israel and its right to exist, it isn't something Bush suddenly started because he wants to see the "rapture"
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