Lebanon: Flash Update #29 - Escalation of hostilities in Lebanon (as of 25 May 2026)
Country: Lebanon Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. HIGHLIGHTS Hostilities continued despite the ceasefire extension announcement, with airstrikes and displacement orders affecting at least 40 new localities in southern Lebanon. A total of 33,897 families (129,724 people) remain displaced across 635 collective shelters. Close to 52 per cent of displaced people in collective shelters are women and girls. Hostilities have killed at least 3,185 people and injured 9,633 people since 2 March, according to Ministry of Public Health. An audit of gender-based violence (GBV) risks in 180 collective shelters has revealed severe protection risks. Between 21 and 25 May, nine incidents targeting health care were recorded, resulting in eight deaths and forty-five injuries among health care workers. Access to maternal health services and acute medical care remains critically constrained in communities south of the Litani River. The Lebanon Flash Appeal is 58 per cent funded. An extension until end August of the appeal will be launched in the first week of June 2026. SITUATION OVERVIEW Airstrikes across Nabatiyeh and South Lebanon Governorate including Tyre district continued, resulting in widespread casualties, displacement, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. According to the Ministry of Public Health, 3,185 people have been killed since 2 March 2026, including 276 women and 217 children, while 9,633 people have been injured, among them 1,152 women and 854 children. Beyond immediate casualties, the death, injury, or displacement of adult household members is increasingly disrupting family structures. In many cases, women are assuming greater responsibility for care, income, decision-making, and access to assistance. Sustained and flexible funding is urgently needed to ensure that protection, cash, shelter, health, WASH, and livelihoods responses can identify and adequately support households facing these shifting dynamics. Displacement levels continue to rise due to ongoing hostilities and successive displacement orders. During the reporting period, 6 renewed and 6 new displacement orders were issued for 40 localities, the majority located in Tyre District in the South governorate. These orders have triggered significant new population movements across the south. As of 25 May 2026, approximately 129,724 people, representing 33,897 families, were reported as displaced across 635 collective shelters nationwide, reflecting a clear and sustained upward trend in displacement figures. Beirut and Mount Lebanon governorates continue to host the largest number of displaced people, while pressure on shelters across other governorates is also increasing. Despite a ceasefire extension announcement and the adoption of a World Health Assembly resolution calling for the protection of healthcare in Lebanon on 21 May 2026, attacks on medical personnel and facilities have continued. Since 2 March, 173 incidents have been recorded, resulting in 123 deaths and 273 injuries among health care workers, underscoring the urgent need for all parties to respect and uphold their obligations under International Humanitarian Law According to the Health Sector Emergency Situation Report, access to maternal and acute care south of the Litani River remains critically constrained, with patients facing delays of up to 48 hours to secure clearance for referral. Between 60 and 80 per cent of households in affected districts are unable to afford health services. The capacity of health systems is under severe strain, with only 68 per cent of facilities fully functional and 29 per cent partially operational, hampered by insecurity, staff shortages, stock depletion of essential medicines, and weak referral systems. Public health risks in areas affected by the hostilities are rising, with a growing incidence of respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, mental health conditions, and injuries, compounded by critical shortages of medications for non-communicable diseases, trauma supplies, and fuel to operate health care facilities. On 22 May, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator visited Tyre alongside inter-sector coordination group agency leads. The group met with the Tyre Union of Municipalities and Disaster Risk Reduction Manager, who noted that current displacement numbers exceed those recorded during the 2024 conflict. It was also mentioned that small numbers of displaced families are returning despite ongoing risks, driven largely by economic pressure and strong attachment to their lands. A GBV safety audit of 180 collective shelters revealed severe protection risks, including overcrowding, lack of privacy, poor lighting, and inadequate separation of vulnerable groups, with female-headed households, adolescent girls, and people with disabilities identified as most at risk. Funding constraints remain a major challenge to sustaining life‑saving assistance. As of 25 May, the 2026, Lebanon Flash Appeal, requiring $308 million, is only 58 per cent funded with around $180 million received. The remaining significant funding gap is limiting the ability of humanitarian partners to maintain essential services and expand response capacities especially under continuous waves of renewed displacement.