Attachments
KEY MESSAGES
• Lebanon is facing the largest escalation of conflict since the 2006 Lebanon War. At the time of writing, there are significant information gaps on the impacts of the conflict on the population. This includes information on patterns of displacement and access to goods and services both in areas affected by conflict and in areas hosting affected persons.
• The humanitarian response has reached some displaced populations, primarily targeting collective centres. However, previous waves of displacements have shown that these persons most often find shelter in host communities.
• While many households fled, no data is available on populations remaining in communities directly affected by conflict. These populations may, in addition to direct impacts of hostilities, face further reductions in access to goods and services as service providers may have themselves been displaced.
• Given the volatility of the current situation, to better understand the needs of affected populations and adequately prioritise emergency responses, there is a need for regular joint rapid needs assessments and analyses.
CONTEXT & RATIONALE
Lebanon has experienced heightened conflict activity since 8 October 2023.1 By 19 September 2024, this had caused 613 fatalities, including 147 civilians, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. An additional 3,000 persons were reported to have been injured.2 The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) recorded 112,000 individuals who have been displaced since 8 October 2023, with most displacements having occurred along Lebanon’s southern border.
Conflict activity has seen a significant escalation as of 23 September 2024,4 constituting the highest number of conflict fatalities in Lebanon in a single day since 2006. This has come particularly in the form of airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, with several strikes also affecting Beirut.5.6 This brief provides an overview of publicly available data on the humanitarian impacts of the escalation as of 10 a.m. on 25 September 2024 (GMT+3).