Lebanon: Flash Update #60 - Escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, as of 20 February 2025

HIGHLIGHTS

• On 18 February, the Israel Army withdrew from remaining population centres in southern Lebanon, while maintaining presence in five strategic positions along the Blue Line. The Lebanese Armed Forces deployed into vacated areas, supporting population returns.

• 58 civilians have been killed since the cessation of hostilities on 27 November, including nine women and nine children (source: OHCHR)

• 950,652 people displaced within Lebanon back in their cadaster of origin while 98,994 people remain displaced outside their cadaster of origin as of 19 February (source: IOM).

• Over 1.05 million conflict-affected people were reached with humanitarian assistance in 2024.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

As the extended deadline for the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement arrived on 18 February, the Israeli Army withdrew from population centres in southern Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) continued its deployment in the vacated areas, conducting assessments of safety risks to support the return of displaced communities. By 20 February, national media reported that municipal and disaster risk reduction (DRR) authorities indicated approximately 20 per cent of residents had begun to return to the border villages for which the Israeli Army repeatedly issued warnings against returns between 27 November 2024 and 17 February 2025. Despite the deadline, the Israeli Army maintained a military presence within Lebanese territory at five strategic border points along the Blue Line, with reports of two additional areas along the Blue Line declared “buffer zones”.

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Force Commander Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro issued a joint statement acknowledging tangible progress in the Israeli withdrawal and parallel LAF deployment, as outlined in the cessation of hostilities agreement of 26 November 2024, while expressing concern over the further delay in its full implementation. They called for support to the Lebanese President and Government in extending state authority completely in all areas in the south and consolidating stability to prevent conflict from returning to Lebanon.

In the lead-up to and on 18 February, the Israeli Army conducted demolitions and shelling in some border villages, with a 14-year-old girl killed by gunfire in Houla (Nabatieh governorate) on 16 February. The Israeli Army reportedly destroyed dozens of civilian homes and public infrastructure in demolition operations before withdrawing from the villages. Israeli Army airstrikes also targeted multiple locations in Nabatieh, South and Baalbek governorates during the reporting period.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has documented 58 conflict-related civilian fatalities in Lebanon since the entry into effect of the cessation of hostilities agreement, including nine women and nine children. Between 12 February and 19 February, at least two additional civilians were killed, including one child.

Protests took place across Beirut, Bekaa, and Mount Lebanon governorates between 14 and 16 February over the ban on Iranian flights landing in Beirut. Protestors blocked road access and set fire to various items. During the first night’s protests, on 14 February, a UNIFIL convoy came under attack, with a vehicle set on fire and UNIFIL personnel, including the outgoing Deputy Force Commander, injured in the attack. Statements from UNIFIL and the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon separately condemned the attack and called for a full investigation and accountability for those responsible. The UN Secretary General called for the implementation of UNSCR 1701 (2006), including allowing for unrestricted freedom of movement of UNIFIL throughout Lebanon, and reiterated that attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law.

The sustained military activities, as well as the level of damage wrought to homes and civilian infrastructure and services during the conflict continue to impede the safe and unhindered access of people in need to humanitarian and recovery assistance and protection.

As of 20 February, 98,994 (52 per cent women and 48 per cent men) remained displaced outside their cadaster of origin, while 950,652 people were back in their cadaster of origin, according to IOM’s Mobility Snapshot (Round 77). This is a 14 per cent decrease in the number of people remaining displaced in comparison to the previous report – between 6 and 13 February, an increase in displacement attributed to winter weather conditions as well as clashes along the northeastern border between Syria and Lebanon was recorded. The decrease in displacement this week reflects new returns to villages from which the Israeli Army has withdrawn, as well as returns to areas that experienced instability due to the clashes along the Syria-Lebanon border. Displacement figures are likely to continue to fluctuate in coming weeks as returning households find their homes destroyed and struggle to access basic services and assistance in heavily damaged areas. Nearly half of those who remain displaced are from Bint Jbeil district, which was also the area most heavily affected by displacement at the beginning of the escalation hostilities in late 2023. Meanwhile, 2,413 of the displaced remain in 29 collective sites.

Between 8 December 2024 and 18 February 2025, Lebanon’ Disaster Risk Management Unit (DRM) reported around 89,400 arrivals from Syria in Baalbek Governorate, including 31,800 people sheltering in 186 informal collective sites and 57,600 living within host communities, among them 20,000 Lebanese returnees (UNHCR).