(LifeSiteNews) — Despite waves of Israeli ground troops invading southern Lebanon and evacuation orders for the entire region south of the Litani River, many Christians have resolved to remain in their homes as “the first line of defense for the Christian presence in Lebanon.”

The Maronite League, a private apolitical organization with close ties to the Maronite Catholic Church, issued a statement last week saluting “the resilience of the residents of the Christian border villages (remaining) on their land despite all the risks and challenges.”

Based in Beirut, the organization, which consists of Maronite Catholic notable intellectuals and professionals, emphasized its view that the “resilience” of the brave Christians amounts to “a national message expressing courage and dignity, rooted in the land and identity, and a true embodiment of unbreakable belonging.”

To assist the communities, the League was working to secure necessary supplies for the Christians, whom they described as constituting “the first line of defense for the Christian presence in Lebanon.”

In a homily earlier this month, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Ra’I, the Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, condemned the war between Israel and Hezbollah as being “against the will of the Lebanese people and the government,” lamented the resulting humanitarian crisis, and expressed his solidarity with the Christians remaining in their homes.

“We stand in solidarity with those who remain steadfast in their towns, rejecting war and calling for peace,” the Patriarch said.

Though mourning the suffering of well over one million Lebanese who have been displaced, the Maronite cardinal praised those who have remained, describing them as “the nation’s true protectors, preserving the land through their faith and steadfastness.”

Israel targeting journalists, paramedics

Last week, Israel announced it was sending a fifth division of ground troops into southern Lebanon as part of a stated goal to ethnically cleanse hundreds of thousands of people from the small nation’s southern border with Israel to the Litani River, and then occupying this new extended “buffer zone.”

Earlier this month, Israel ordered the evacuation of the entire population not only south of the Litani but also in the region extended to the northern Zahrani River, which flows west into the Mediterranean Sea. Israel has additionally destroyed all bridges that cross the Litani River, with Israeli officials pledging to not allow the displaced to return south to their homes.

Similar to its conduct in Gaza, the Israeli army has been targeting journalists and medical personnel during its bombing raids in Lebanon. On Saturday, near the southern Lebanese town of Jezzine, Israeli forces executed a direct and repeated assault — firing four missiles — on a clearly marked press vehicle, resulting in the deaths of three journalists and injuries to several others.

Rescue teams arrived promptly at the scene, but consistent with reported patterns, Israeli forces then targeted the ambulances in a “double tap strike,” killing at least one paramedic.

This was far from the first time Israeli forces have apparently targeted identifiable press teams. On March 19, the Israeli army struck a crew from RT (Russia Today), injuring British journalist Steve Sweeney and his cameraman (video below, language warning).

Israel just attempted to assassinate the great Steve Sweeney while he was reporting from Southern Lebanon

Relieved to hear Steve is recovering

The terrorist regime that has murdered hundreds of journalists over 2-3 years will never recover from this pic.twitter.com/l017GoIIOG

— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) March 19, 2026

Israel using white phosphorus against civilian infrastructure

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun strongly condemned Israel’s Saturday strikes, noting that “once again, the Israeli aggression violates the most basic rules of international law, international humanitarian law, and the laws of war by targeting journalists, who are ultimately civilians performing a professional duty.’’

“This is a blatant crime that violates all norms and treaties granting journalists international protection in times of war, according to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their protocols,” he added. “We strongly condemn this attack, call on all international bodies to act to stop what is happening on our soil.”

Also on Saturday, Lebanon’s health minister reported that Israel has executed at least 75 attacks against his nation’s health sector, including the shelling of nine hospitals, five of which were forced to close. He added that 18 attacks had struck ambulance centers, damaging 48 vehicles, and had thus far taken the lives of 51 medical workers.

In attacks on Lebanese civilian infrastructure, including water and sanitation facilities, Human Rights Watch documented that Israel has used white phosphorus munitions over residential areas as well, incinerating homes.

According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, since March 2, the Israeli army has killed at least 1,189 people and injured 3,427 across Beirut, southern and eastern Lebanon.

Lebanese archbishop: ‘Put pressure on your governments to work for peace’

During a March 26 interview with Aid to the Church in Need, Lebanese Archbishop Georges Bacouni was asked what Catholics and other Christians in the west can concretely do to help restore peace, stability and prosperity to his nation.

Characterizing prayer as a primary means of assisting Christians and the Lebanese people at large, the Melkite Greek Catholic archbishop of Beirut said to “put pressure on your governments to work for peace, to find a solution.”

Nobody in the region can remain in a land where there is a war every decade or so, imposing a constant sense of insecurity, making it very difficult to raise families there, he related.

Finally, Archbishop Bacouni said “encourage all the churches to understand what is an Oriental Christian. Our mentality is a little bit different from yours in the Oriental churches. We are Catholic, but we are not Latin.”

“We are Arabs, but we are not Muslims,” he emphasized, indicating how these respective ethnic and religious terms are often used interchangeably in the west.

“We are a minority who is witnessing to Jesus in this area,” he explained. “We have to stay here. Support us to stay. (Establish) peace in the Middle East, and everything will come after that.”

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