Lebanon Security & Operational Update | March 16 – 22, 2026 [EN/AR]

Country: Lebanon Source: SARI Global Please refer to the attached files. KEY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS Systemic Destruction of Southern Connectivity: The multi-stage demolition of the Qasmiyeh Bridge on March 19 and March 22 marks a strategic shift toward the total isolation of Tyre, systematically severing primary NGO supply lines and civilian escape routes. Airstrike Intensity Reaches Record Threshold: Verified kinetic incidents totaled 329 for the week, including 182 Israeli Armed Forces (IAF) airstrikes and 94 artillery or tank fire incidents, representing the most violent reporting period since the 2024 ceasefire began. Introduction of Heavy Ballistic Munitions: The March 19 launch of a “Scud C” ballistic missile by non-state armed actors toward southern Israel signals a severe technological escalation, likely utilizing smuggled Syrian-origin assets to bypass conventional interception matrices. Total Collapse of Coastal Waste Management: Following the Jdeideh landfill closure, uncollected waste in Metn and Kesrouan has reached a critical mass, with over 3 million tonnes of accumulated refuse and open burning triggering a 20% rise in respiratory distress, posing an immediate epidemic risk to concentrated urban populations.

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