The British Minister for Development, Anneliese Dodds, revealed a £5 million aid package (equivalent to $6.6 million) designated for the UNICEF office in Lebanon. The announcement was made late Wednesday evening, following severe air strikes and rocket exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah at the start of the week. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed that the aid would support medical supplies, hygiene essentials, and fuel for water stations and emergency teams specializing in health and nutrition.
Additionally, the ministry disclosed that Royal Air Force aircraft and helicopters are on high alert, with a strategic British presence at the Royal Air Force Akrotiri base near Limassol in Cyprus, and in the Eastern Mediterranean with the ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan. Deployment of Border Force officials and the Foreign Office, along with 700 soldiers, was also confirmed in Cyprus this past Tuesday.
The recent conflict between Israel and Lebanon has escalated significantly, primarily driven by exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The conflict has led to widespread devastation and a significant number of casualties. Since the beginning of hostilities, there have been reports of extensive bombings and evacuations, with the Lebanese health ministry citing that the bombings in just a few days caused more deaths than earlier incidents this year. The situation has dramatically worsened with the death toll rising sharply, as detailed by the Lebanese Ministry of Health and ACLED, marking one of the deadliest periods since the end of the Lebanese civil war.
Hezbollah, a key player in this conflict and a major force in Lebanon, has responded robustly to Israeli military actions, launching significant rocket attacks into northern Israel. These actions have prompted massive displacement, with tens of thousands of Lebanese forced to flee their homes, and the Lebanese government reports that recent Israeli strikes have resulted in over 560 deaths and nearly 2,000 injuries.
