How Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon created a humanitarian crisis

Israel’s latest invasion of Lebanon has forced more than 1.2 million people, including 350,000 children, to flee their homes, creating one of the world’s fastest-growing and most severe displacement crises.

Since March 2, Israeli forces have launched more than 1,840 attacks on Lebanon, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), an independent monitor. Attacks have killed more than 1,497 people and injured more than 4,639, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.
The Israeli army claims its forces are targeting strongholds of the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Last week, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel plans to destroy Lebanese border towns and continue its occupation of the south of the country.

Lebanon among the world’s worst displacement crises
One in five people in Lebanon, or 20 percent of the country’s 5.9-million population, has been displaced by Israeli attacks over the past month.

Compared with other displacement crises, Lebanon’s is among the top 10 in recent years.

Global displacement numbers are taken from UNHCR’s latest 2025 data, which were used to compare the rate of displacement per population. These numbers include refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers and other displaced people. Lebanon’s figures reflect the most recent available data. Numbers for all countries may shift as displacement crises continue to evolve worldwide.