At the onset of the current wave of violence between Lebanon and Israel, Hizbullah's chief, Hassan Nasrallah, pledged to "surprise Israeli forces on the battlefield." In the meantime, however, unpleasant surprises have also arisen for Lebanon's economy, as recent weeks of intense warfare have left the Lebanese government and its people wondering how funds for the staggering costs of the nation's reconstruction will materialize.
Preliminary statistics provided by Lebanon's government estimate the costs of rehabilitating the country following the clashes to reach billions of dollars.
"We know the cost is in billions," one government spokeswoman told reporters recently according to The Guardian. "But it's very difficult to estimate more precisely because there are many places we can't reach," she added. The statement was made at the end of July, while fighting has continued unabated everyday since.
During the course of the violence, sparked mid-July when Hizbullah forces captured two Israeli soldiers, countless Lebanese homes have been destroyed, along with nearly o140 bridges, while an undetermined number of roads have rendered unusable.
Factories, hospitals, airports, fuel storage facilities have also been targeted in an attempt to destroy infrastructure mechanisms which Israel believes are used by Hizbullah in its fight against its southern neighbor.
In addition, an air and sea blockade has been imposed, and three of the country's main seaports - Beirut, Tripoli and Jamil Gemayel - have been hit.
Meanwhile, panicked Lebanese citizens have rushed to withdraw funds from local banks, forcing bank to limit withdrawals to $1,000. In an attempt to keep Lebanon's currency stable, the Central Bank has propped up the Lebanese pound.
Who will pay the price?
Though Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has hinted that Israel will pay the lion's share of reconstruction costs after the violence had subsided, it is still unclear how the enormous sum will be raised.
As many citizens walk past smoldering rubble and debris which was once their home, they wonder what the final outcome of the most recent tragedy to hit Lebanon will be, some wondering whether or not the price of Hizbullah's decision to carry out an "act of war" was justified.
"Though we are angry at the real aggressors and cause of our current pain--Israel," said Jihan Widaad, a resident of Beirut who was forced to flee with her family after Israeli attacks began, "it is clear that Hizbullah acted unilaterally when it decided capture the soldiers."
"If a decision was to be taken against Israel which would have definite repercussions on millions of Lebanese citizens," lamented another refugee, Hawayda Ghazal, "such a decision should have been taken in cooperation with the Lebanese government, of which Hizbullah is part of, so that Lebanese citizens could have been protected, not used as political ploys."
Not all Lebanese share such a perspective. While many condemned Hizbullah before last month's hostilities began and even expressed outrage in Beirut when the group's supporters cheered at the news of the two Israelis' capture, the sentiment has changed somewhat following weeks of bombardment.
However, it is clear that many remain frustrated by Hizbullah's approach, and feel that many ordinary Lebanese citizens are paying the price of Israel's wrath as a result.
Meanwhile, Iran has expressed a keen interest in helping to ease the pain of its Lebanese brethren. Some Lebanese, however, remain skeptical. So too, the United States and Europe have also voiced their desire to help in the reconstruction process, a move that has both raised eyebrows amongst some in the devastated nation, and elicited sighs of relief.
Ultimately, however, those willing to offer their help do so with the understanding that Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and the late premier's son, Saed Hariri will work towards the democratization of the country in the interest of its citizens, nearly one-million of whom are currently displaced.
