Lebanon faces ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ under Israeli assault: UN

Key Points:

• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned of a looming "humanitarian catastrophe" in Lebanon due to Israel's intensified bombardment and ground invasion, which has displaced over 1.2 million people since early March.
• Israeli strikes and forced displacement orders have affected residents across Lebanon, including southern regions, Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley, overwhelming the country's shelter system and causing significant psychological distress, especially among children.
• Israel's military operations, including air strikes on Beirut and destruction of key bridges in southern Lebanon, aim to create a buffer zone but have isolated over 150,000 people and severely restricted humanitarian access.
• Hezbollah continues to launch rockets into northern Israel and engage Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, with its leadership vowing to persist in fighting against Israeli occupation and aggression.
• Human rights groups have condemned Israel's tactics as potentially constituting war crimes, citing forced displacement and collective punishment, while Lebanon's government faces mounting challenges responding to the escalating humanitarian crisis.