Amid a surge of Israeli air strikes in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, first responders face increasingly dire conditions as civilian casualties rise. Firefighter Samir El Chekieh and his team from the Lebanese Civil Defense Force describe harrowing scenes of destruction and loss, with recent attacks leaving both women and children dead or injured. Despite Israel’s claims of targeting Hezbollah militants, the bombing campaigns have reached deeper into civilian areas, prompting massive evacuations and deepening humanitarian crises. As both sides remain entrenched in a fierce conflict, the humanitarian toll continues to escalate.