The ongoing displacement crisis in Lebanon has reached “devastating” levels, according to a senior UN migration official, as the country struggles to cope with the impact of intensified Israeli airstrikes.
Othman Belbeisi, Middle East and North Africa director for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlighted the dire situation during a visit to Beirut, stating that international support has been insufficient to meet the rising needs.
The escalation follows a year of cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, with the latter launching attacks in solidarity with its ally Hamas in Gaza. Since September 23, Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, eastern regions, and south Beirut have resulted in over one million displaced people and hundreds of deaths, according to Lebanese officials.
“Lebanon needs more support. The assistance provided so far is minimal and does not address the vast needs on the ground,” Belbeisi said, noting that IOM had “verified and tracked” around 690,000 internally displaced people, while approximately 400,000 more had fled, primarily to Syria.
Around 25% of displaced individuals are housed in official shelters like schools, while another quarter have secured rental accommodations, with nearly half residing in “host settings” such as private homes, according to IOM data.
