Lebanon: Flash Update #12 – Escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, (as of 26 March 2026)

Country: Lebanon Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. HIGHLIGHTS Over 136, 000 IDPs are hosted in 663 collective shelters. Women and girls face heightened protection risks amid repeated displacement. More than 189, 000 people have crossed into Syria since 2 March, reflecting the scale and severity of the crisis. 22 humanitarian movements were completed through the OCHA-managed Humanitarian Notification System (HNS). $308. 3 million Flash Appeal is 29% funded, with $91. 6 million contributed. Situation Overview Hostilities across Lebanon continue to intensify, with sustained airstrikes reported in multiple locations in the South. On 24 March, an airstrike in Mount Lebanon reportedly killed an entire family, including a woman and a child. According to the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Unit, a total of 3, 908 hostilities have been recorded since 2 March, reflecting the continued escalation and widening geographic scope of the conflict. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reports at least 1, 116 fatalities, including 83 women and 121 children, and 3, 229 injured, among them 454 women and 399 children, since hostilities began. New displacement orders have been issued in Beirut’s southern suburbs and across parts of Tyre district, including Bourj Rahal, Shabriha, and Berghlieh, alongside expanded directives affecting areas south of Zahrani, triggering additional population movements. With over one million people displaced, the DRM reports 136, 262 IDPs hosted in 663 collective shelters. Thousands more remain outside formal sites, hosted by families, staying in informal shelters, or residing in public spaces. Women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected, representing more than half of the displaced population sheltering in collective sites. Displacement trends indicate that the predominantly out‐of‐shelter and dispersed nature of displacement is creating distinct challenges for women and girls, including heightened protection risks, increased caregiving burdens, and greater barriers in accessing services and support. The health system remains under severe strain: five hospitals –including four with maternity wards –have been forced to close, nine hospitals have been damaged, and at least 50 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCCs) are no longer operational. These disruptions are significantly restricting access to lifesaving medical care, including sexual and reproductive health services. Cross‐border movements from Lebanon into Syria continue to rise. According to UNHCR, more than 189, 250 individuals have crossed into Syria since 2 March, including 164, 770 Syrians and 24, 480 Lebanese nationals (as of 25 March).

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