Ottawa residents from Lebanon watching Israel-Hezbollah conflict closely

Shiite clerics pass in front of a house that was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike, in Hanine village, south Lebanon, Thursday, April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

As sirens sound in Lebanon amid escalating violence between Israel and militant group Hezbollah, many Ottawa residents with family there find it hard to watch.

"They're doing okay, but it's the bombing. It's hard to sleep at night when they're bombing not too far away," said Mike Abbas of his wife's relatives.

"A lot of the time I close the news off."

Clashes between Hezbollah and Israel have been intensifying, with hundreds of people killed and thousands forced to flee southern Lebanon following Israel's major bombardment on Tuesday.

Last week, thousands of communications devices meant to target Hezbollah members exploded in different parts of Lebanon, killing 39 people and injuring nearly 3,000. Israel has not confirmed or denied whether it was responsible for the attacks that hurt many civilians.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon Monday killed more than 490 people, including more than 90 women and children, Lebanese authorities said, in the deadliest barrage since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. The Israeli military warned residents in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of its widening air campaign against Hezbollah.

Aref Dergham came to Canada a few years ago. He's worried about his friends and relatives.

"People are fleeing the South in droves," he said.

"You're kind of torn between here and there, right? Like, I'm working now, but mentally, I'm still in Lebanon right now."

Nearly 45,000 Canadians are in Lebanon, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly.

The Canadian government is telling all Canadians in Lebanon to leave while commercial flights are still operating.

Canada has also increased the travel advisory for Lebanon to the highest level—telling citizens to avoid all travel there due to the deteriorating security situation.

Ottawa will be among the cities holding "All Out for Lebanon" protests during a National Day of Action on Tuesday. The Ottawa event will be held at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street at 6 p.m.

With files from CTVNews.ca