Lebanon: Flash Update #7 - Escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, as of 11 March 2026

HIGHLIGHTS

• Displacement continues to surge nationwide and beyond Lebanon’s borders. 78,000 Syrians and 7,700 Lebanese have crossed into Syria since the escalation began.
• Risks to humanitarian operations are rising sharply NRC’s office in Tyre, underscoring growing dangers for civilians and aid workers.
• Flash Appeal to be launched on 13 March outlining immediate operational and funding priorities for urgent humanitarian response.

Situation Overview

Geographical expansion and intensification of hostilities across Lebanon continue to deteriorate the humanitarian situation exposing growing number of people to persistent insecurity. The impact is particularly severe in locations hosting displaced families, where renewed displacement orders are driving secondary and repeated displacement within very short timeframes. These movements continue to disrupt already fragile living arrangements and are placing increasing pressure on host communities and limited shelter capacity.

On 10 March, two mass forced displacement orders were issued affecting 11 locations in Saida and Tyre districts already hosting significant number of previously displaced families. These orders are expected to trigger additional population movements as both residents and displaced households seek safer locations. Evolving dynamics are further complicating displacement patterns and increasing humanitarian needs, especially in areas that had already been receiving large numbers of arrivals in recent days.

The situation remains highly volatile. Many displaced people are sheltering in public spaces, open areas, and other temporary locations in the absence of immediate relocation options. Rising rental costs and limited availability of housing are constraining families’ ability to secure alternative accommodation. In several locations, host communities have are reaching their absorption capacity, further narrowing safe shelter options.

Ongoing strikes and geographic expansion of displacement orders are contributing to an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable environment, where civilians face repeated disruption, heightened protection risks, and growing multi‑sectoral needs. In Beqaa and Baalbek, airstrikes in Aali en Nahri and Tamnin triggered an influx of people seeking refuge in nearby shelters, requiring rapid humanitarian intervention to meet immediate needs.

Casualties continue to rise daily. According to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), at least 634 people have been killed and 1,586 injured since the escalation on 2 March, placing mounting strain on an already overburdened health system.

Displacement remains widespread. Since 2 March, families have continued to flee affected areas at increasing rates as strikes and forced displacement orders impact residential neighbourhoods and villages. Government-led self‑registration system indicates approximately 816,700 people who have registered as displaced. The Disaster Risk Management Unit (DRM) reports 125,800 displaced individuals currently residing across 580 collective shelters. However, the actual number is likely significantly higher, as many community‑run shelters are not yet reflected in national reporting, and a large proportion of displaced households remain outside formal sites. This is particularly true for non‑Lebanese individuals including Syrian refugees, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (PRL), Palestinian refugees from Syria (PRS), other refugees, migrants, and others. UNHCR reports growing movements into Syria. According to Syrian authorities, more than 78,000 Syrians and over 7,700 Lebanese have entered Syria since the escalation began, including refugees who had planned voluntary returns months ahead but accelerated their movement due to insecurity in Lebanon.

On the evening of 11 March, following a salvo of 150 rockets fired by Hezbollah toward Israel, Israel conducted a series of heavy airstrikes across Beirut’s southern suburbs and Ramlet al‑Baida – a coastal area where many displaced had reportedly been spending nights on the beach resulting in numerous reported fatalities and injuries.

In Tyre, South Lebanon, the office of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), located next to a hospital, sustained severe damage from an Israeli airstrike. No staff were present, but the incident highlights the growing dangers facing humanitarian workers and civilians and underscores the urgent need for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians and aid personnel.