Twenty-two killed in bus attack that ignited Lebanon's civil war

On April 13, 1975, an incident in Beirut marked the beginning of a brutal civil war that lasted for 15 years. That fateful day saw a church inauguration attended by the Christian Phalange party leader, coinciding with a Palestinian military parade. Tensions escalated as various factions, particularly the Christian community and Palestinian militants, considered each other threats amidst rising violence. While unaware of earlier skirmishes between Palestinians and Phalange members, a bus carrying Palestinian students and militants was ambushed, resulting in 22 fatalities. The aftermath of this attack further deepened divisions within the conflicted Lebanese society and highlighted the weak authority of the state at that time. This incident was pivotal, not only in its immediate human toll but also in its long-term impact on Lebanon’s political landscape, setting off a chain reaction of violence and hostilities that defined the civil war period. Many Lebanese believed the attack was part of a larger, planned operation, although investigations suggested it may have been a chaotic reaction to the events surrounding Gemayel's bodyguard's earlier death, illustrating the fragility of both trust and peace in Lebanon. As the 50th anniversary of this tragic event approaches, the bus involved in the attack has been preserved and moved to a museum, serving as a haunting reminder of the violence that tore through the country.