Pregnant British woman's 'guilt' over fleeing Lebanon

A British woman who fled Lebanon after fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified has said she feels "terrible and guilty" for leaving.

"I'm still in denial," Alaa Ghalayini told the BBC. "I can't sleep. I still hear the bombs in my head."

The 28-year-old is nearly two months pregnant with her first child. She looked exhausted as she arrived at London's Heathrow Airport aboard a Middle East Airlines flight with two large suitcases on Sunday morning.

She says she left her husband behind - along with the life she loved.

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There has been fighting between Israel and Hezbollah across the Lebanese border since the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas. The Iran-backed militia, which is based in Lebanon, said it would continue until there was a ceasefire in Gaza.

In recent weeks, Israel has attacked areas it says are Hezbollah strongholds in different parts of Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut.

On Saturday, an Israeli strike in southern Beirut killed Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, with Israel saying 20 more of the group's senior members were killed in the attack.

Ms Ghalayini moved to Beirut from north London when she married in August last year.

She said she had no idea when she would see her husband again, or if she will be able to return to Lebanon before her baby is born.

Ms Ghalayini said the only commercial airline she could find leaving Beirut was Middle East Airlines - and she was only able to get a seat because her husband is a pilot for the company.

"I feel terrible and guilty that I have been able to leave," she said.

"I didn’t want to leave my husband. My heart is with him."

She said Beirut Airport, where she departed from, was "chaotic" and "rammed with people", adding that the plane did not have an empty seat.

"[The flight] was obviously emotional - everyone had a story.

"Everyone on the plane felt at ease as soon as the airplane left Lebanese airspace. That’s because areas very close by to the airport were being bombed."

Ms Ghalayini left her life behind in Lebanon and does not know when she will be able to return

Ms Ghalayini said that, before she had left, the situation in the country felt "unbearable".

"I was seeing buildings bombed, buildings falling, huge fires. It wouldn’t just be one bomb, it would be 20 explosions, one after the other," she added.

"We were screaming. Hiding in the bathroom. I live on the 23rd floor, so I was seeing my city burn. You feel helpless.

"You smell flesh, see people still stuck under rubble.

"Being born and raised in London, I've never experienced anything like this.

"No one should have to go through what we've gone through."

From left to right: Lea, 17, their mother Nadine and Yasmina, 15

Nadine, another UK national, broke down in tears as she told the BBC: "We couldn’t sleep, we were so worried about our families and friends and we couldn't even find flights for them to come here."

She travelled from her home in London to Heathrow to meet her two teenage daughters who had landed from Beirut that morning.

Lea, 17 and Yasmina, 15, are UK nationals but up until now have lived in Beirut with their grandparents.

The family did not wish for their surnames to be used.

As Israeli airstrikes escalated in the country, the family decided to get the girls out. They had left behind most of their belongings, as well as their friends and school.

Lea said: “It was all unexpected. Just got the tickets, two days later we’re at the airport.

"It’s really scary and sad not knowing when you’re going to come back to your home country, not knowing what’s going to happen to your family and friends there."

Lea added: "I don't really want to experience the sleepless nights anymore. I hope I feel better here and forget about the trauma."

Nadine said she was relieved to know her girls had arrived safely, but was in fear for those left behind.

"My sister, their kids are traumatised. They're seeing the bombs from their balconies, from the streets."

The family say the girls' grandparents plan to leave Beirut on Monday to find someplace safe.

BBC News understands there are between 4,000 and 6,000 UK nationals including their dependents in Lebanon.

The Foreign Office told UK nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately on Saturday due to the escalating violence.

"We encourage you to book the next available flight, even if it is not a direct route," it said in its official advice.

In a post on X, it said it was working "to increase capacity and secure seats for British nationals to leave”.

UK nationals in Lebanon have been told to register their presence to receive the latest information.

From her apartment on the 23rd floor, Alaa Ghalayini observed bombs falling on Beirut