Live Updates: Beirut rocked by airstrikes Israeli official says targeted Hezbollah leader

It was 3 a.m. and southern Beirut was under the heaviest bombardment in nearly 20 years. A CNN team drove past a sea of ​​people camped on sidewalks, mostly on the boardwalk that encircles the coast in the still-pristine western parts of the city.

These were displaced people from neighborhoods that were attacked by Israeli warplanes. Some were chatting on the side of the road, some were sleeping on benches and on the ground. Women cradled sleeping babies and toddlers. Children wandered the streets in their pajamas and weaved aimlessly through double-parked cars.

On the city’s commercial Hamra Street, a crowd outside an abandoned building forced traffic to a near standstill. A man tore down the iron gate, allowing a flood of displaced people to take refuge. A new wave of arrivals was approaching. Visibly exhausted women got out of the cars and dragged their children, blankets and mattresses.

Most people carried little more than the clothes on their backs as they ran away in search of safety. Many tried to put on a brave face, fear hidden beneath the thin facade of bravery. “We’re fine! I’m sure our home is fine. There is nothing to worry about,” a woman in her early 60s said to a group of people around her.

It was a sleepless night in the Lebanese capital. The streets were busier than usual in the early hours of Saturday morning. Restaurants and cafes were open, serving food and coffee, while television screens showed images of the explosions lighting up the night sky just a few kilometers away.

As we drove around the city in our car, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for residents of parts of southern Beirut that had not yet been attacked. One of the neighborhoods listed was Bourj el Barajneh, a densely populated area that includes a Palestinian refugee camp and is home to many poorer migrants. Less than 30 minutes later, Israeli forces began attacks there.

It is unclear whether many of these residents managed to get out in time. Meanwhile, the people of Beirut wait to see what has become of their homes, their city and their civilians.