Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by intensive Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, with many seeking refuge in northern parts of the country, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The ongoing violence has overwhelmed Lebanon's infrastructure and created severe shortages of basic supplies, particularly bread and drinking water in the city of Saida, where a large influx of displaced persons has been reported.

As of September 24, an estimated 200,000 people have been displaced within Lebanon. Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that 111,656 people were displaced between October 2023 and mid-September 2024, with an additional 90,530 displaced between September 17 and 24.

The Government of Lebanon (GoL), already stretched to its limits, is facing challenges in providing adequate shelter, food, and medical care. The health care sector is particularly overwhelmed, struggling to treat the hundreds wounded in the ongoing conflict. In response, the GoL has declared 240 schools and educational facilities as shelters for displaced persons. However, officials acknowledge the country is unprepared to meet the scale of humanitarian needs, particularly regarding food assistance.

Most of those displaced are fleeing southern districts, including Nabatieh, and moving toward Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and eastern regions such as Baalbeck-Hermel and Akkar. In Tyre and Saida, Palestinian families from nearby gatherings and localities, including Adloun, Ansariya, Zahriya, and Nabatiye, have fled to northern areas, with many staying with relatives or seeking shelter in Palestinian refugee camps in Tyre, such as Burj Shemali, Rashidieh, and El-Buss.

In the Beqaa Valley, airstrikes near Baalbeck and the Wavel Camp have forced families to seek safety in central and western Beqaa. A number of Palestine Refugees from Syria (PRS) in the area have reportedly opted to return to Syria amid the escalating violence. (ILKHA)