Ali Younes and his daughter are killed in an airstrike on their home in al-Loubieh Ali Younes before his death: a state of “holding one’s breath” and intense anticipation

In a scene that encapsulates the harshness of the final moments before the ceasefire, the news turned into a deep human shock within the Lebanese artistic community after the announcement of the death of Lebanese actor Ali Younes and his daughter Celine, following an Israeli airstrike that targeted their home in the town of al-Loubieh in southern Lebanon, just minutes before the ceasefire came into effect at midnight on Thursday.

The incident was not merely another news item, but a heavy moment in which the anticipation of calm merged with a far more brutal reality, as hours of waiting ended in sudden loss. Only minutes separated hopes of de-escalation from a tragic end that took the lives of a father and his daughter together, leaving behind deep sorrow among his loved ones, colleagues, and those who followed his work.

What makes the tragedy even more painful is that the late actor had posted, hours before his death, on his Facebook account, describing a suffocating sense of anticipation in southern Lebanon, referring to the situation as “holding one’s breath” between an expected truce and escalating field tensions. His words now appear as a final testimony of the anxiety he was living through, before he himself became a victim of the very scene he described.

In his final post, Ali Younes emphasized the importance that any upcoming agreement should guarantee Lebanon’s right to respond and not restrict its movement, warning against a ceasefire that would amount to incomplete justice, in remarks that carried both political and human dimensions.

The late actor was known as a member of the Lebanese Actors’ Syndicate and participated in several drama works since 2012, including “Asir,” “Al-‘Amil,” “2020,” “Till Death 2,” “Five and a Half,” “Secret 2,” “Al-Thaman,” and “Awlad Adam.”

He also appeared in cinema through various films such as “The Trial of Slobodan Milošević,” “Heyk Baddun,” “Al-Kharab,” “War of Survival,” “Exile and Fate,” and “A Strange Look.”

Before acting, Younes began his career in radio, presenting programs that touched people’s concerns such as “Problems and Solutions,” “No Mistakes Allowed,” “The Listeners’ Requests,” and “Communications Rally,” which brought him close to audiences before his voice moved to the screen.

With his passing, an actor is not the only loss; a voice that once carried people’s pain is extinguished, turning into a painful story that encapsulates the brutality of the moment—where a father and his daughter depart together, leaving behind an emptiness heavier than words.