At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters across Lebanon following an escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday, and added that many more were expected to join them.
The Israeli military has conducted intense air strikes across the country since Monday, prompting mass evacuations of people from areas. This military action followed Hezbollah rocket fire aimed at Israel late on Sunday, which occurred in reaction to U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
"Conservative estimates suggest that nearly 30,000 people were hosted and registered at collective shelters," said UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch.
"Many more slept in their cars on the side of roads or were still stuck in traffic jams," he added.
Shelter capacity and refugee movement
The U.N. World Food Program expects the number of displaced individuals to rise significantly in the coming days. The Lebanese government said it has opened 21 official shelters to accommodate the growing numbers, though it said that resources remain stretched.
The UNHCR also reported a sudden increase in Syrian refugees moving from Lebanon back into Syria to escape the violence. The agency is implementing a contingency plan to manage a potential further influx of people crossing the border.
Lebanon hosts approximately 1.5 million Syrians alongside a domestic population of 4 million, representing the highest concentration of refugees per capita globally. Most of the 6 million Syrians who fled the 2011 conflict sought refuge in neighbouring countries such as Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan.
The current conflict exacerbates a severe, years-long economic collapse that has already pushed much of the Lebanese population into poverty. The country has struggled to maintain basic public services following compounding disasters, including the 2020 Beirut port explosion and widespread political instability.
Humanitarian organisations warn that the national infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle a new wave of mass displacement. Essential resources such as clean water, fuel, and medical supplies were already in short supply before the recent military escalation.
UNICEF warned that children in Lebanon's densely populated residential areas are at immediate risk from the ongoing air strikes. The agency reported that seven children have been killed and 38 injured since Monday, with casualty numbers expected to climb.
"Each new escalation expands the circle of harm. Residential areas, schools and critical infrastructure are being affected," UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires said.
He emphasised that each new escalation expands the circle of harm, leaving vulnerable families with nowhere safe to turn.
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Syria is open to direct talks with Hezbollah if its national interests require it, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani said during a visit to Lebanon on Thursday (2 July).
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 29 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Protesters gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs after Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington aimed at ending fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Lebanon heads into a new round of talks with Israel in Washington, seeking progress on key security issues and an Israeli withdrawal timeline. The negotiations, however, are being overshadowed by Iran's decision to fold Lebanon-related issues into its broader talks with the U.S.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious procession in north-eastern Thailand, police said.
Armenia's parliament has passed a new law raising the requirements for citizens living abroad to vote in national elections, following concerns over alleged efforts to influence last month's parliamentary vote through Armenian citizens residing in Russia.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Georgia’s only oil refinery will stop using Russian crude oil by September to preserve access to Western markets, its operator has said.
Iran has begun talks with Japan about selling oil to Japanese companies, according to Iranian and Western sources. The discussions come less than a month after the U.S. eased decades-old sanctions on Iranian oil as part of efforts to secure a final peace deal with Tehran.
At least 40 people were killed after a passenger bus plunged off a highway into a ravine in southwestern Pakistan, officials said on Friday (3 July).
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