Lebanon: Flash Update #24 - Escalation of hostilities in South Lebanon, as of 08 August 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

• 102,523 individuals (51% females) have been displaced from South Lebanon due to the ongoing hostilities as of 6 August (source: DTM).
• 2,252 casualties have been reported, including 532 deaths. Among these, at least 120 civilian deaths have been confirmed (source: MoPH, OHCHR).
• On 30 July, an Israeli strike on a residential building in Haret Hreik, a southern suburb of Beirut, killed five civilians—three women and two children.
• WHO and UNICEF have collectively delivered 97 tons of emergency supplies to the Lebanese Government, including trauma and surgical kits, medications, and medical supplies.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Lebanon continues to be severely impacted by ongoing hostilities, with daily exchanges of fire across the southern border.

In the past two weeks, there has been a marked intensification in the conflict, resulting in a 20% increase in civilian casualties, half of those casualties are women and children.

Displacement has also increased by nearly four percent since 23 July and civilian infrastructure has been repeatedly targeted. According to UNICEF, more than a dozen water stations have been damaged, with four now non-functional, affecting access to safe drinking water for more than 200,000 people.

Notably, on 30 July, an Israeli airstrike occurred in the Beirut southern suburbs for the second time since October 2023. The frequency of sonic booms over Beirut and across the country has also increased, contributing to heightened anxiety among residents.

The disruption to commercial air travel since the 30 July strike in Beirut has been significant, with numerous international flights suspended or rescheduled and several countries issuing urgent advisories for their citizens to evacuate Lebanon in response to the escalating tensions.

Humanitarian partners continue to scale up relief efforts, in support of the Government-led response. On 6 August, WHO delivered 32 tons of trauma and emergency surgical kits, along with medications, to Lebanon as part of its emergency prepositioning efforts for referral hospitals through the Ministry of Public Health. This measure is in preparation for any potential escalation on the ground.

Additionally, UNICEF has distributed 65 tons of emergency kits, including medications, supplies, and instruments, to 22 locations across South Lebanon, Nabatieh, Baalbak-Hermel, and MoPH warehouses, to bolster the health system’s response to the ongoing emergency.

To date, at least 120 civilians have been killed since hostilities escalated in October 2023. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the total number of casualties since October 8, 2023, stands at 2,252, including 532 fatalities.

• On 29 July, an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Kfar Roummane, Nabatieh district, resulted in the death of one Syrian national and injuries to two others.
• On 30 July, an Israeli strike on a residential building in Haret Hreik, a southern suburb of Beirut, killed five civilians—three women and two children—and injured 74 others.
• On 1 August, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the village of Chamaa in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of four Syrians—one woman and three children—and injuries to several others.
• On 4 August, an Israeli drone strike in Deir Seryan, South Lebanon, killed one civilian, while another Israeli strike in Taybe targeted a power station at a water utility site.
• On 5 August, an Israeli drone strike on a cemetery in the southern village of Mays al-Jabal killed a paramedic.
• On 7 August, an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Jwayya, east of Tyre, resulted in the deaths of two people, including one civilian, and injuries to six others, bringing the total number of civilian deaths to 120 since 8 October 2023.

As of 6 August, 102,523 people have been internally displaced and are seeking refuge across Lebanon, with 96 per cent originating from Bint Jbeil, Marjaayoun, and Tyre districts.

• Some 81 per cent of the IDPs are currently living with host families, while 16 per cent are renting houses. Another two per cent have relocated to secondary residences. Around one per cent are housed in 15 collective shelters.
• Of the 81 percent in host settings, 26,289 are co-living with non-internally displaced families, while 556,621 reside separately. Notably, according to IOM, 21 percent of the 82,910 individuals in host settings live in overcrowded conditions.
• 1,283 displaced people are hosted in 15 collective shelters, with five located in Tyre, five in Hasbaya, four in Nabatieh, one in Saida.
• 33 percent of IDPs are children (< 18 years), while 34 percent are female adults and 33 percent are male adults.

Recent conflict escalation has disrupted protection programs, with GBV partners reporting reluctance to attend sessions and rapid exits during attacks. Psychological distress is high among displaced populations, leading to increased intimate partner violence and psychological abuse. For example, rising rental prices in the south are pushing families into unsafe areas, and socio-economic strain is driving harmful coping mechanisms.

Since February 2024, and up to 6 August, 43 humanitarian missions have been conducted to towns and villages along the frontline. According to the Disaster Risk Reduction unit, at least 149,000 civilians remain within 10 km of the Blue Line.