زحلة

War History of Zahlé

Zahlé, the capital of the Beqaa Governorate in Lebanon, has witnessed numerous wars and conflicts throughout its history. Located strategically on the Beirut-Damascus road, the city has been targeted since its founding in the 18th century. Zahlé was burned in 1777 and 1791, and its inhabitants were repeatedly attacked due to its commercial importance.

Ottoman Period and World War I

In the late Ottoman period, Zahlé developed as an important commercial center of the Beqaa Valley. During World War I (1914-1918), the Great Famine of Lebanon imposed by the Ottoman Empire claimed the lives of thousands of Zahlé residents. An estimated 40% of the Beqaa region's population died from famine and disease. This deliberate famine is regarded as a genocidal act against Lebanon's Christian population by the Ottoman authorities.

French Mandate and Independence

After World War I, Lebanon came under French mandate. Zahlé, as a predominantly Greek Catholic city, supported Lebanon's independence in 1943. However, sectarian tensions increased throughout Lebanon including the Beqaa in the 1950s and 1960s. During the 1958 crisis, Zahlé mainly supported the pro-government faction led by President Camille Chamoun.

Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990)

Zahlé was one of the most important battlegrounds during the Lebanese Civil War. The city, considered the eastern gateway of Lebanon, became a battlefield between Christian forces (Lebanese Forces and Kataeb) and the Syrian army with its Palestinian and leftist allies. The Syrian siege of Zahlé in 1981 (Battle of Zahlé) was one of the most significant events of the civil war. Syrian forces besieged the city for 3 months, destroying its infrastructure with heavy artillery. The stubborn resistance of Zahlé's inhabitants and Christian forces eventually led to an internationally-mediated end to the siege. However, sporadic fighting continued until the war ended in 1990.

Israeli Aggressions and Resistance

The Beqaa Valley was targeted by Israeli air strikes from the 1970s onward. Israel attacked the region's infrastructure including bridges, roads, and power facilities during the 1982 invasion and subsequent wars. Hezbollah's presence in the Beqaa, supported by Iran, made the region an important base for the resistance. Hezbollah, founded in 1982, used the Beqaa as its main area for operations against Israeli occupation. The 2006 war also caused significant damage to Zahlé's infrastructure and the Beqaa region.

Syrian War and Refugee Crisis

Since 2011, the Syrian civil war has profoundly affected Zahlé and the Beqaa region. The Beqaa has hosted hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, placing enormous strain on local infrastructure and the economy. The Syria-Lebanon border in the Beqaa region witnessed armed clashes and infiltration by extremist groups. Lebanon's economic crisis since 2019 has also had a devastating impact on Zahlé, as the city relied heavily on trade with Syria.