In the heart of a conflict-ridden Lebanon, amid the chaotic blare of sirens and the ceaseless hum of ambulances, a quiet war is being fought by an entirely different army: the medical professionals who stand as the last line of defense between life and death. While rockets, bombs, and bullets dominate the headlines, it’s surgeons like Dr. Elias Jaradeh and their medical teams who wage an unrelenting battle against the mounting toll of wounded civilians and fighters. Their stories, however, often remain in the shadows, eclipsed by the drama of geopolitical conflict and military maneuvers.
This article takes an in-depth look at the personal and professional experiences of these surgeons, drawing inspiration from Dr. Jaradeh’s account of the tragic recent bomb attacks in Lebanon, which left 37 dead and thousands injured. The harrowing experience of surgeons like Dr. Jaradeh highlights the sheer mental and physical toll faced by medical teams in crisis zones—and the emotional resilience required to keep going in the face of overwhelming despair.
The Surgeon’s Battlefield
In the aftermath of devastating bomb attacks across Lebanon, Dr. Elias Jaradeh found himself navigating a chaotic and gruesome battlefield, not of soldiers and combatants, but of shattered bodies and broken lives. The surgeon, who also serves as a member of Lebanon’s Change parliamentary bloc, was working almost non-stop at a specialist eye and ear hospital, treating some of the most severely injured patients. For 24 hours, Jaradeh and his team were faced with a constant influx of trauma victims—many of whom had sustained catastrophic injuries, including the loss of their eyesight or hands.
“We became robotic,” Jaradeh said, describing the mental dissociation that took over as he worked tirelessly on patients. “You have to dissociate yourself. More or less, you are robotic. This is the way you have to behave, but inside, you are deeply injured. You are seeing the nation injured.” For Jaradeh and others on the frontlines, the process of emotional detachment is not just a coping mechanism, but a survival strategy. Without it, they might crumble under the weight of the human suffering they encounter daily.
Yet, despite the clinical detachment required to perform under such circumstances, the emotional toll remains inescapable. Witnessing the injuries and traumas inflicted upon civilians, including women and children, and the heartbreak of telling families that their loved ones may never regain their sight or the use of their limbs takes a profound toll on even the most hardened medical professionals. The question becomes not if, but when this emotional burden will catch up to them.
The Weight of War on Medical Professionals
While war inevitably brings to mind soldiers, weapons, and the destruction of infrastructure, it is easy to overlook the toll it takes on the healthcare system and its workers. In Lebanon, as in many conflict zones, healthcare infrastructure is often strained to breaking point, with hospitals overwhelmed by waves of trauma victims. Medical teams, already working under difficult conditions, find themselves suddenly inundated by patients in need of urgent care. The recent bomb attacks were no exception.
In this context, the work of specialists like Dr. Jaradeh and eye surgeon Prof. Elias Warrak becomes even more critical. Warrak, who had to remove the damaged eyes of several young men in a single night, recounted the emotional strain: “In my whole life I had not seen scenes similar to what I saw yesterday.” As he described having to remove both eyes from many patients, most of whom were young men in their twenties, his words painted a picture of a human tragedy that few can fathom. Each procedure was not just a technical challenge, but a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating consequences of war.
Such encounters are not only physically exhausting but also psychologically traumatic for medical professionals, who must continue working in the face of what seems like unending human suffering. The relentless pace of surgeries, the devastating injuries, and the sheer volume of patients force them to become mechanical in their actions, much like soldiers on the battlefield. But unlike soldiers, these surgeons are not fighting to take lives—they are fighting to save them.
The Civilian Toll: Innocence Caught in the Crossfire
Lebanon’s recent bomb attacks, widely attributed to Israeli forces though not officially claimed, resulted in a horrific number of civilian casualties. Among the dead and wounded were not just Hezbollah fighters, but also innocent bystanders—women, children, and non-combatants who had no involvement in the conflict but whose lives were irrevocably altered by its violence.
Dr. Jaradeh described seeing young men walking the streets with wounds to their hands, waist, and eyes, completely disoriented and unable to comprehend the scale of the disaster that had befallen them. The devices that caused these injuries were designed not for military purposes, but for maximum destruction in civilian areas. Health Minister Firass Abiad emphasized this point, calling the attacks a war crime: “These were not people who were at the battleground fighting. They were in civilian areas with their families.”
In addition to the psychological trauma, physical injuries like the loss of eyesight or limbs mean that many of the survivors will face lifelong disabilities and require extensive rehabilitation. The emotional and social costs of these injuries are impossible to quantify. Many families will be forced to adjust to a new reality—one in which the injured are no longer able to work or live independently, placing enormous strain on families already struggling under the weight of economic instability and war.
The Long Shadow of Trauma
For many Lebanese, the recent bombings have reignited the trauma of the Beirut port explosion four years earlier, when thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate detonated, killing over 200 people and injuring more than 5,000. The parallels between the two tragedies are stark, and the psychological scars of that earlier disaster remain fresh for many of the city’s residents.
As one woman told the BBC: “A state of confusion, discomfort, and anxiety is dominating all of Lebanon… what happened to us four years ago is being repeated now.” This sense of collective trauma permeates Lebanese society, as many feel that the country is caught in an unbreakable cycle of violence and despair.
Surgeons like Jaradeh and Warrak, who work on the frontlines of this trauma, are not immune to its effects. The constant exposure to death and disfigurement, the pressure to save lives amid impossible odds, and the helplessness of knowing that many of their patients will never fully recover—all of these factors contribute to the mental and emotional strain felt by medical professionals.
While their bravery and resilience are often celebrated, it is important to remember that they too are human, and that the weight of their work takes a toll. For some, the emotional burden becomes too much to bear, leading to burnout, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In many cases, however, there is little time for self-care or mental health support, as the demands of the job continue to escalate with each new wave of violence.
The Weaponization of Technology: A New Threat to Civilian Life
One of the most disturbing aspects of the recent bomb attacks is the weaponization of everyday technology. Devices that are typically used for communication, such as pagers and two-way radios, were transformed into deadly weapons capable of inflicting mass casualties. The implications of this new form of warfare are chilling.
Health Minister Firass Abiad warned that the “weaponization of technology” poses a serious threat not just to Lebanon, but to the entire world. “Now we have to think twice before using technology,” he said, reflecting on how seemingly benign devices can be transformed into tools of mass destruction. The attacks have led to new security measures, including the banning of walkie-talkies and pagers on all flights operating out of Beirut’s Rafic Hariri Airport.
This troubling development underscores the evolving nature of warfare in the 21st century. As technology advances, so too do how it can be exploited for violent ends. In a world where smartphones, drones, and other forms of technology are ubiquitous, the potential for harm is greater than ever. The challenge now lies in finding ways to prevent the misuse of technology without stifling innovation or restricting civil liberties.
A Nation on the Brink
As Lebanon continues to grapple with the aftermath of the recent attacks, the country’s future remains uncertain. Hezbollah, the powerful Shia Muslim organization that holds significant political and military influence in Lebanon, has declared the bombings a “massacre” and a “declaration of war.” Israel, meanwhile, has shifted its military focus to its border with Lebanon, signaling that the conflict may continue to escalate in the coming weeks and months.
For Lebanese civilians, the prospect of renewed conflict is both terrifying and all too familiar. Many fear that the country is on the brink of another devastating war—one that could plunge Lebanon even further into chaos and despair. Dr. Jaradeh, who has witnessed firsthand the devastation wrought by the recent bombings, is pessimistic about the chances of peace. “We are preparing for another war,” he warned, expressing the deep sense of unease that permeates the country.
Health Minister Abiad echoed this sentiment, urging the international community to take action before it is too late. “The two attacks in the last day show that their intent is not towards a diplomatic solution,” he said, referring to Israel. “What I know is the position of my government is clear. From day one, we believe that Lebanon does not want war.”
Yet, despite these calls for peace, the reality on the ground suggests that Lebanon’s path to stability remains fraught with obstacles. As long as the cycle of violence continues, the country’s medical professionals will be forced to shoulder the heavy burden of caring for its wounded, while the nation as a whole struggles to heal from the deep wounds inflicted by years of conflict.