KUALA LUMPUR: "My house in Naccahe shook when Israeli bombs started dropping in south Lebanon, even though the distance is quite far. To calm myself, I avoid turning on the TV or radio, as I don't want to see the destruction caused by this war," says Angel Lee, 47.
Lee, who has been living in Lebanon for 18 years, has two children aged 17 and 14.
She said this was the second war she had experienced, but it was different this time as the conflict now involved many other countries and could threaten her family's safety.
The situation, she said, had prompted her and her two children, who were also Malaysian citizens, to leave Lebanon.
"Actually, my residential area in Naccahe, which is near the United States Embassy, is still peaceful, and our lives continue as usual compared with the escalating war in southern Beirut.
"That's why I don't want this peace to be disrupted, so I refuse to watch television or listen to the radio, which constantly broadcasts news of the war destroying everything.
"Fearing the situation could worsen and reach our area, my husband, Abdallah Sacca, 52, has allowed us to leave Lebanon. I'm packing up and will arrive in Kuala Lumpur this Tuesday," she said when contacted in Lebanon today.
Malaysia has strongly condemned the Israeli government for launching military attacks on Lebanon.
Israeli forces reportedly struck Hizbollah's intelligence headquarters in Beirut and were engaging in combat with its fighters at the border. Fighter jets were also bombarding Hizbollah strongholds throughout Lebanon.
Israel announced this week that its forces had launched a "ground offensive" in southern Lebanon, which is Hizbollah's stronghold, following rocket attacks into Israel by the group.
The bombings had killed more than 1,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in a country mired in economic and political crises.
Lee, originally from Seremban, Negri Sembilan, said the first war she experienced was in 2006, when she had just gotten married.
She claimed to witness firsthand the brutality of Israeli bombings on strategic locations, especially infrastructure, such as airports, roads and bridges.
"At that time, we were living in Jouneih, and I saw Israeli forces destroying a bridge near our residence. For the Lebanese people, this kind of war is somewhat normal, and they believe the situation will return to normal.
"However, this time it involves other countries, including Iran, and we are worried that things will worsen. Although my children are not happy to leave Lebanon since their school term just started last month, and I too have to leave my husband behind, we have no choice for our safety," said Lee, who lives about 11 kilometres from Beirut.
Lee expressed her gratitude for the Malaysian government's efforts and the staff members at the Malaysian Embassy in Beirut, who were trying to ensure the safety of Malaysians in Lebanon.
"Not only are they trying to evacuate their citizens, but the government is also willing to cover the costs for my husband, who is Lebanese, to leave as well though he has chosen to stay in his country.
"The post-war crisis is worrying. Things tend to get worse after a war, as displaced people who have lost their homes might move into others' homes, as happened before. I fear the same thing could happen to our house, as we can't predict what will happen next.
"So, it's better for us to leave during this evacuation process. We don't want to be trapped in the war later because the situation is deteriorating in the south," she said.
Meanwhile, for Merilee Patrick, 40, her decision to leave Lebanon with her five children was the best one, even though it meant being separated from her husband, Mark Saadee, 46.
Having transited through Cyprus after successfully leaving Beirut yesterday, she said that if the war worsened, no one would be able to help her, as her husband worked in Qatar.
"For almost four years, I've been managing our five children alone in Zouk Mikael, Lebanon, because my husband works in Qatar.
"Even though my house is far north, about 60 kilometres from Beirut, and the war is taking place in southern Lebanon, there's no telling how this war will end.
"My husband is in Lebanon now to handle the school enrollment for our children, which just started last month, and now he has to deal with the school again to figure out their status.
"Here, schooling continues as usual, and my children are considered absent for not attending and need to return to Malaysia," said Merilee, who previously lived in Qatar for 16 years.
Merilee, originally from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, said that the Malaysian Embassy in Beirut contacted her yesterday, asking them to be ready for the evacuation process and to be patient, as it was difficult to secure flight tickets out of Lebanon.
"I'm grateful that the six of us arrived safely in Cyprus before continuing our journey to Kuala Lumpur, where we will arrive on Monday morning.
"During the 40-minute drive to Beirut airport, I saw many military trucks everywhere, but we weren't stopped," she said.
Merilee expressed her pride in the government's efforts in bringing its citizens home and covering all the costs, compared with her friends from other countries who had to travel by boat for six hours to reach Cyprus.
"Now, I'm just worried because I don't know how my husband will leave Beirut later, as it's hard to get flight tickets. Nonetheless, I hope we will be reunited soon.
"My children and I are in the second group that successfully left Beirut, and I'm still under treatment after undergoing oral surgery last week," she said.