Attachments
A new displacement crisis is unfolding in Lebanon, with serious implications for the region and its people. On 23 September, Israel dramatically intensified its airstrikes on Lebanon - the deadliest and most devastating attacks the country has seen in decades. Many people in Lebanon had to instantly flee their homes, with nearly 120,000 people newly displaced within less than a week.
Almost immediately after 23 September, a significant number of people started crossing into Syria to flee the violence.
After a month of escalating conflict, over 1.2 million people have been displaced and affected inside the country, with an additional 450,000 – Syrian refugees previously living in Lebanon, Lebanese nationals and third-country nationals - displaced into Syria. Many of the displaced in Lebanon are now living on the streets, with Syrian refugees facing significant challenges in accessing newly established collective shelters. In Syria, local capacities are also being stretched, with many Syrians returning destitute to their areas of origin, alongside Lebanese families who also require urgent support.
On 1 October, UNHCR declared a Level 3 Emergency – the highest level – for Lebanon and Syria to scale up response efforts and strengthen on-the-ground coordination. The Inter- Agency Standing Committee (IASC) activated on 4 October a Humanitarian System-wide Scale-up for Lebanon, ensuring that IASC organizations collaboratively deploy all available resources and means to address the crisis at scale.