Lebanon: Flash Update #28 - Escalation of hostilities in South Lebanon, as of 25 September 2024

Since Monday 23 September, nearly 600 people have been killed, including 50 children and 94 women, while nearly 1,700 have been injured by strikes across Lebanon (source: MoPH).

At least 90,530 newly displaced people have been reported including nearly 40,000 in 283 shelters. The last number of IDPs reported before 19 September stood at 111,696 individuals displaced since October 2023 (source: DTM).

Two UNHCR staff killed by airstrikes.

Humanitarian organizations urgently require at least $170 million to sustain ongoing response and respond to new needs

SITUATION OVERVIEW

In the early hours of Monday, 23 September, a large-scale military operation launched by Israel in Lebanon resulted in the deadliest exchange of fire across the Blue Line since October 2023. This escalation follows a weekend of intense clashes between Hezbollah and Israel, including Hezbollah rocket attacks on key Israeli sites near Haifa and Israel’s most intense bombardment of sites in Lebanon since 8 October 2023. Israeli airstrikes have since hit dozens of towns across Lebanon, including Saida, Nabatieh, Tyre Bekaa valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

This latest surge in violence has caused significant loss of civilian life, injuries and new displacement. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), nearly 600 people have been killed and nearly 1,700 injured in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and Bekaa and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure. It is reported that at least 50 children were killed – more than the number of children killed in the past 11 months – and 94 women are among the victims. UNHCR confirmed that the airstrikes killed one of its staff in Bekaa and her youngest son, injuring her husband and another other child. Another UNHCR staff working in Tyre was killed yesterday.

Israeli strikes also extended to regions previously untouched by the conflict, including an air strike in Akkar (northern Lebanon). Several urban centers, including Aitaroun and Barish in Tyre district, have been heavily affected, prompting mass movements of residents toward Beirut and other areas, and severely damaging water infrastructure in the Bekaa and South Governorates, cutting off access to clean water for at least 30,000 people. This in addition to the 16 water stations previously damaged, further compounding the region’s water access crisis and heightening humanitarian concerns as reported by UNICEF.
In addition to casualties and injuries, the conflict has triggered mass displacement, with tens of thousands fleeing southern Lebanon towards Beirut and other safer areas. Since 23 September, national authorities have reported that 90,530 people have been reported as newly displaced, including nearly 40,000 in 283 collective shelters. Efforts ongoing to update on the evolving situation are ongoing. Among the newly displaced, many of the more than 111,000 people displaced since October last year through 22 September are likely to have been secondarily displaced. The exodus of people from south Lebanon to north of the Litani River caused heavy traffic and movement continued on 24 September.

•Displacement has been reported in 193 cadasters across 25 districts.

• The majority of newly displaced individuals come from Bent Jbeil (36%), Marjaayoun (25%), Tyre (12%), El Nabatieh (9%) and Baalbek (7%) districts. Another 13% relocated from other districts.

• The top five destinations (districts) for newly displaced individuals were Beirut (28%), Baabda (17%),

Aley (9%), Saida (9%), and Chouf (7%), and 40% displaced to other districts.

The Minister of Education & Higher Education (MEHE) announced the closure of all educational institutions across the country until 27 September 2024 with potential further extension. Lebanese authorities have announced the opening of at least 283 shelters across the country, with the majority being public schools.

On 23 September, the UN Secretary-General expressed grave concern for the safety of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line, including UN personnel, and strongly condemned the loss of lives.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.