Donate
Back to Gift Store >
×
Emergencies

LEBANON EMERGENCY

1.3 million

At least 1.3 million people in Lebanon have been displaced (as of November 2024).

562,000

More than 562,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria since the escalation of hostilities (as of November 2024).

1.5 million

Lebanon hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, and more than 11,000 refugees of other nationalities.

Unhcr Visibility Horizontal Blue Cmyk V2016

Right now, war and violence have forced more than 120 million people to flee their homes. Sign up to learn how you can help!

About the Crisis in Lebanon

The latest escalation of violence in Lebanon has claimed thousands of innocent lives and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. On September 23, 2024, a wave of Israeli airstrikes struck southern and eastern Lebanon, bordering Syria. The bombings across Lebanon have struck dozens of towns, including South Lebanon, Bekaa and Beirut’s southern suburbs. The streets of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, are filled with people struggling to find safe shelter for their families. 

At least 1.3 million people in Lebanon have been displaced, with many forced to flee their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs. More than 562,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria since the escalation of hostilities—63 percent of the displaced are Syrians and 37 percent are Lebanese or other nationals. Most of those who are fleeing into Syria are women and children, and more than half are children.

Lebanon has the highest number of refugees per capita, hosting an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees and more than 11,000 refugees from other countries. While there has been an increase in border crossings from Lebanon to Syria, most displaced individuals remain inside Lebanon. 

Among the victims of the recent escalation in violence were Dina Darwiche and Ali Basma, two UNHCR staff members in Lebanon who lost their lives during the initial attacks on September 23. 

VIDEO

What is happening in Lebanon? | UNHCR

How to Help

The UNHCR needs help providing humanitarian aid to those from Ukraine. Winter assistance is essential in keeping displaced people healthy and safe during the winter months.

Donate Now

What is UNHCR doing to support people in Lebanon?

UNHCR and partners, including the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, are present at the five main Syrian border crossing points, providing safe shelters, core relief items (mattresses, blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, water cans and solar lamps), healthcare, cash assistance and protection services. 

UNHCR and its partners already have substantial structures to support returning Syrians and other groups in need. These include 114 community centers across Syria that provide a wide range of services including psychosocial support, child and gender-based protection, specific programs for the elderly and people with disabilities, shelter repair and more. These structures are being expanded to support and assist Lebanese refugees.

More Facts About the Crisis in Lebanon

Learn More

  • More than half of the Lebanese population lives below the poverty line, while 9 out of 10 Syrian refugees living in the country require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. 
  • According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, more than 3,768 people have been killed and 15,699
    people have been wounded.
  • More than 90,000 refugees have been displaced a second time, 99 percent of whom are Syrian refugees.
  • With UNICEF support, 326 public schools will deliver quality in-person and blended learning opportunities to help children and youth continue their education. 

The Latest Stories On Lebanon

2024 Emergencies

A Year of Turmoil: Conflicts, Crises and Displacement in 2024

In 2024, new conflicts erupted, existing crises seethed and climate-fueled disasters multiplied. Here are some of the most critical situations the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, responded to in the past year.

Learn More
Lebanon Explainer 1

What is happening in Lebanon?

The latest escalation of violence in Lebanon mark the most intense attacks on the country in the last two decades. More than one million people in Lebanon are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Learn More
Lebanon UNHCR

UNHCR: Lebanon crisis deepens as Israeli airstrikes intensify

The escalating conflict and intensified Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon are taking an increasingly devastating toll on civilians in the country, pushing more people to flee to Syria.

Learn More
Lebanon Grandi

UNHCR’s Grandi appeals for urgent humanitarian support and an end to the bloodshed in Lebanon

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, calls for greater international support to stem the humanitarian catastrophe engulfing Lebanon.

Learn More

Other Emergencies

Central America
Europe
Iraq
South Sudan
Yemen
Coronavirus Outbreak