The United Nations has issued a grave warning, stating that nearly one million Lebanese are fleeing the escalating conflict between Israel and Iranian-aligned groups in the region.
This alarming situation has intensified as Hezbollah militants launched rockets targeting Israeli towns and engaged in ground skirmishes with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
The scope of the conflict has expanded, prompting Israeli evacuation orders that now encompass a quarter of Lebanon’s territory.
According to U.N. assessments, these orders have led to mass exoduses from over 100 villages and urban centers.
“To the people of South Lebanon: Be careful!” cautioned Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee in a recent Arabic-language message posted online.
He emphasized that Israeli operations targeting Hezbollah sites in and around local villages are ongoing, urging residents to avoid returning home until further notice for their safety.
Currently, over 600,000 of Lebanon’s 5.4 million citizens are internally displaced, placing immense pressure on available shelters, as warned by U.N. officials.
An additional 300,000 have sought refuge abroad. The aid organization Save the Children reported that around half of Lebanon’s public schools have been repurposed as emergency shelters, illustrating the extent of the humanitarian crisis.
Many displaced individuals have resorted to setting up makeshift tents along the once-bustling white-sand beaches, while others have sought refuge in parks, unfinished buildings, and even a nightclub.
“The humanitarian impact is absolutely dire,” said Duncan Sullivan, the program leader of the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration.
The conflict began over a year ago when Hamas militants launched an incursion into Israel from the Gaza Strip, prompting Israeli military responses aimed at dismantling Hamas.
However, as Hezbollah joined the fray, firing rockets from the north, Israel found itself battling on two fronts.
In the months that followed, exchanges of fire caused significant displacement across Lebanon and Israel, culminating in Israeli ground forces crossing into Lebanese territory.
Military officials described this incursion as targeted, aimed at neutralizing Hezbollah combatants and weaponry.
While Israeli forces confront threats in the north, they have also intensified military operations in Gaza and escalated their actions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where at least four individuals were killed in a raid by undercover Israeli forces in Nablus on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and Israeli police reports.
The regional tensions, particularly between Israel and Iran—the primary backers of both Hamas and Hezbollah—have reached a boiling point.
Following a recent barrage of missiles launched by Iran at Israel, the atmosphere remains fraught with uncertainty regarding future developments.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a stark warning on Wednesday regarding Iran’s intentions.
“Our attack will be deadly, precise and above all surprising,” he asserted. “Whoever attempts to hurt the State of Israel will pay the price.”
American officials, alarmed by the potential for uncontrolled escalation, were taken aback by Israel’s latest offensives against Hezbollah and have struggled to facilitate a cease-fire amid the chaos in both the northern conflict and the ongoing war in Gaza.
The relationship between Israel and the U.S. has become notably strained, highlighted by a recent phone call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—the first such conversation in two months.
Amid these developments, Iran has been proactive in strengthening ties with its Arab neighbors, dispatching Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on a regional tour that included a visit to Saudi Arabia, historically an Iranian adversary.
Before his departure, Araghchi remarked that Iran seeks to avoid war with Israel but is ready to retaliate if provoked, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to supporting militant organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which it refers to as part of the “axis of resistance.”
Despite suffering significant losses from Israeli strikes over the past three weeks, Hezbollah still maintains a substantial stockpile of weapons.
On Wednesday, a missile attack by the group resulted in two fatalities in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, with additional injuries reported from a rocket strike near Haifa.
The recent barrage of rocket fire followed a night of Israeli airstrikes targeting densely populated neighborhoods around Beirut, where Hezbollah exerts considerable influence, along with a strike near the Iranian Embassy in Syria.
The Lebanese government reports that over 800 of the country’s 990 shelters are already at capacity, with many of the few remaining facilities located in remote areas that are difficult for displaced residents to access.
These shelters often lack basic necessities, with some having only one or two toilets to accommodate 100 individuals, while many lack electricity, proper lighting, or safe spaces for women and children.
In response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis, the European Union announced plans to send three planes loaded with essential aid to Beirut, as the situation continues to deteriorate.
