Lebanon is fracturing under the weight of intensifying Israeli military operations. What began as targeted strikes in early March has evolved into a broader campaign that is now claiming victims across religious and sectarian lines—and reshaping how Lebanese communities view one another.

The April 5 bombing in Ain Saadeh, an affluent Christian neighborhood east of Beirut, killed three residents including Pierre Moawad, a prominent member of the anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces party. The strike—carried out with US-made GBU-39 precision bombs—marked a notable shift. Until recently, casualties had been concentrated in Shia-majority areas, many affecting civilians unaffiliated with Hezbollah. Now, the violence has begun claiming victims across Lebanon's diverse religious landscape.

The toll is staggering. Over 1,500 people have been killed, including 130 children. More than 1.2 million have fled their homes. But beyond the raw numbers lies a more insidious fracture: Lebanese society is splitting into two camps—those blaming Israel for relentless aggression, and those holding Hezbollah responsible for triggering Israeli retaliation. In the crossfire, internally displaced persons report systematic discrimination, regardless of their actual Hezbollah affiliation or support.

Experts warn this dynamic serves a strategic purpose. According to Michael Young, Lebanon analyst at the Carnegie Middle East Center, the expanding strike pattern may be designed to deepen societal divisions. "The Israelis want to create a rift between Lebanese communities and isolate the Shia population," Young explained, suggesting that even disputed strikes reinforce this fracturing effect. When precision strikes hit unexpected targets in Christian areas, the absence of clear justification amplifies suspicion and blame rather than solidarity.

As military operations continue to expand geographically, Lebanon's delicate sectarian balance—already strained by years of political dysfunction and economic collapse—risks tipping into open social conflict that could prove as damaging as the airstrikes themselves.

Originally reported by Al Jazeera English. Rewritten for ABN12.