'I still hear bombs': Pregnant Brit, 28, who fled Lebanon on a rammed flight opens up about hiding in her bathroom while explosions rang out – as she's forced to leave her husband behind

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A pregnant Brit who fled Lebanon amid the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has revealed she hid in the bathroom while explosions went off around her. 

Alaa Ghalayini, 28, of north London, moved to Beirut in August last year after getting married to her husband, who she has been forced to leave behind. 

The mother-to-be, who is two months pregnant, arrived at Heathrow Airport via a Middle East Airlines flight with two suitcases on Sunday morning.

Speaking to the BBC, Mrs Ghalayini said she ‘can’t sleep’ due to the ‘guilt’ of abandoning her husband and the trauma she has suffered during the war. 

‘I feel terrible and guilty that I have been able to leave,’ she said. ‘I didn’t want to leave my husband.’ 

Mrs Ghalayini added: ‘I can’t sleep. I still hear the bombs in my head.’

Alaa Ghalayini, 28, (pictured) of north London, moved to Beirut in August last year after getting married to her husband, who she has been forced to leave behind in Lebanon

Alaa Ghalayini, 28, (pictured) of north London, moved to Beirut in August last year after getting married to her husband, who she has been forced to leave behind in Lebanon 

The mother-to-be is two months pregnant and has gone back to London to escape the fighting

The mother-to-be is two months pregnant and has gone back to London to escape the fighting

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Describing the situation in Lebanon, Mrs Ghalayini said she has been ‘hiding in the bathroom’ out of fear of being killed. 

‘I live on the 23rd floor, so I was seeing my city burn. You feel helpless,’ she said. 

It comes as more than 20 Hezbollah members were killed alongside their terror boss Hassan Nasrallah in Friday’s airstrike, according to Israel. 

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BREAKING NEWS
Israel says ‘more than 20’ Hezbollah members ‘eliminated’ in airstrike which killed Hassan Nasrallah

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The deadly bombardment killed two close associates of Nasrallah, one of whom was in charge of his security detail.

The Israeli military said earlier that Ali Karaki, the head of the terror group’s Southern Front, was killed in the airstrike.

Among those ‘eliminated’ include the head of Nasrallah’s security unit, Ibrahim Hussein Jazini, and Samir Tawfiq Dib, who the IDF described as ‘Nasrallah’s long-time confidant and adviser’. 

‘Due to their proximity to him, they served a significant role in the day-to-day operations of Hezbollah and Nasrallah in particular,’ the IDF said.

On Sunday, the Israeli military announced it had killed another high-ranking Hezbollah official in an airstrike – Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s central council.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Israel’s airstrikes had ‘wiped out’ Hezbollah’s command structure, but he warned the group will work quickly to rebuild it.

‘I think people are safer without him walking around,’ Kirby said of Nasrallah during an appearance on CNN today. ‘But they will try to recover. We’re watching to see what they do to try to fill this leadership vacuum. It’s going to be tough. Much of their command structure has now been wiped out.’

Hassan Nasrallah, seen addressing supporters in Lebanon's capital Beirut in November 2013, was killed by an Israeli air strike on the city on Friday

Hassan Nasrallah, seen addressing supporters in Lebanon’s capital Beirut in November 2013, was killed by an Israeli air strike on the city on Friday

Iranian demonstrators have been celebrating outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah

Iranian demonstrators have been celebrating outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah

The announcement of more targeted air strikes came as Syrians and Iranians celebrated following Nasrallah’s death in Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Friday.

There were jubilant scenes in the northern Syrian city of Idlib, where people took to the streets honking horns, handing out sweets and thanking Israelis.

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Anti-Iranian regime demonstrators also gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, to welcome Nasrallah’s assassination.

In contrast to the scenes of joy outside the Israeli embassy in London, Iran’s embassy to the UK in the capital has lowered its flag to half-mast following Nasrallah’s death.

The move came as Iran began five days of official national mourning, announced yesterday by the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Kaouk had been thought to be among the main contenders to replace Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years.

The Lebanese group’s role supporting both the Iranian and Syrian ruling regimes helps explain why many opponents of both have welcomed Nasrallah’s demise.

Iran helped establish Hezbollah in the 1980s and has provided the Lebanese militant group with sophisticated weaponry and training.

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut in Lebanon yesterday

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut in Lebanon yesterday

Israel launched fresh strikes again yesterday after confirming the death of Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah. Pictured: Large explosions witnessed over Khiam, Lebanon

Israel launched fresh strikes again yesterday after confirming the death of Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah. Pictured: Large explosions witnessed over Khiam, Lebanon

Hezbollah has also aided Syria’s President Bashir al-Assad in his crackdown on rebels in that country’s civil war which has been raging since 2011.

Syria’s government condemned Nasrallah’s killing in Friday’s strikes, in contrast to the jubilant response in rebel-held Idlib where people waved Syrian flags, cheered and handed out treats.

One person wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘I’m in Idlib right now and the Syrians are out on the streets celebrating rumours of the death of Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, aka Hezboshaytan!

‘Just a few days ago Hezboshaytan bombed a village here, today we buried a one-year-old baby and his mother that were killed.’

Another video posted on social media showed women in Iran, covering their faces, welcoming the news of Nasrallah’s death.

A speaker said: ‘The children of Iran send a congratulatory message to everyone for the death of Hassan Nasrallah and congratulate the Iranian nation.’ They also thanked Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Who were the seven high-ranking Hezbollah officials killed over the past week?


Hassan Nasrallah

Since 1992, Nasrallah had led the group through several wars with Israel, and oversaw the party’s transformation into a powerful player in Lebanon. Hezbollah entered Lebanon’s political arena while also taking part in regional conflicts that made it the most powerful paramilitary force. After Syria’s uprising 2011 spiraled into civil war, Hezbollah played a pivotal role in keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power. Under Nasrallah, Hezbollah also helped develop the capabilities of fellow Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and Yemen.

Nasrallah is a divisive figure in Lebanon, with his supporters hailing him for ending Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000, and his opponents decrying him for the group’s weapons stockpile and making unilateral decisions that they say serves an agenda for Tehran and allies.

Nabil Kaouk

Kaouk, who was killed in an airstrike Saturday, was the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council. He joined the militant group in its early days in the 1980s. Kaouk also served as Hezbollah’s military commander in south Lebanon from 1995 until 2010. He made several media appearances and gave speeches to supporters, including in funerals for killed Hezbollah militants. He had been seen as a potential successor to Nasrallah.

Ibrahim Akil

Akil was a top commander and led Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces, which Israel has been trying to push further away from its border with Lebanon. He was also a member of its highest military body, the Jihad Council, and for years had been on the United States’ wanted list. The U.S. State Department says Akil was part of the group that carried out the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and orchestrated the taking of German and American hostages.

Ahmad Wehbe

Wehbe was a commander of the Radwan Forces and played a crucial role in developing the group since its formation almost two decades ago. He was killed alongside Akil in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs that struck and leveled a building.

Ali Karaki

Karaki led Hezbollah’s southern front, playing a key role in the ongoing conflict. The U.S. described him as a significant figure in the militant group’s leadership. Little is known about Karaki, who was killed alongside Nasrallah.

Mohammad Surour

Surour was the head of Hezbollah’s drone unit, which was used for the first time in this current conflict with Israel. Under his leadership, Hezbollah launched exploding and reconnaissance drones deep into Israel, penetrating its defense systems which had mostly focused on the group’s rockets and missiles.

Ibrahim Kobeissi

Kobeissi led Hezbollah’s missile unit. The Israeli military says Kobeissi planned the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli soldiers at the northern border in 2000, whose bodies were returned in a prisoner swap with Hezbollah four years later.




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