One week after the bombing of Iran by Israeli and U.S. forces, counterattacks across the Middle East have escalated, leading to significant disruptions in Lebanon. Humanitarian organizations report that hundreds of shelters are now at capacity, prompting mass evacuations in various suburbs of Beirut. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR), stated, “Israel’s military ground operations in southern Lebanon, along with widespread displacement orders affecting the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and areas south of the Litani River, combined with ongoing airstrikes throughout the country, are inflicting further suffering on a civilian population already in distress.”
Israeli airstrikes have intensified in Lebanon. Mathieu Luciano, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Lebanon, described the alarming situation on Thursday night, noting that the Israeli military executed “multiple air strikes on the southern suburb of Beirut overnight.” He mentioned that many collective shelters are overwhelmed, particularly in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, leading to a need for redirection of displaced individuals to other shelters, especially in safer regions like Al Qaa in the Bekaa. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has categorized the escalating situation as a significant humanitarian emergency that necessitates an immediate regional response. Ayaki Ito, UNHCR Director for Emergencies, informed reporters in Geneva that the conflict is causing considerable population displacements across the area and into Southwest Asia, with nearly 25 million people in affected regions already being refugees, internally displaced, or recent returnees, thus adding pressure on host countries that are already vulnerable.
The ongoing conflict has caused a major crisis in commercial shipping, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz south of Iran, effectively halting all vessel movement. This situation is impacting UN agencies and partners attempting to deliver crucial aid to Gaza and Sudan, among other urgent needs. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and a substantial amount of commercial goods. “All maritime traffic has notably slowed down,” remarked Anne Schaefer, IOM’s Deputy Director for humanitarian response and recovery. “This slowdown is evident in Port Sudan as well as other ports across the continent.”
In Gaza, essential supplies such as shelter materials, tarps, tents, and lamps are currently stuck at various points in transit, leading to warnings of an impending “significant deterioration of the supply chain.” The humanitarian situation in Sudan is also rapidly worsening, with IOM officials emphasizing that supplies must arrive within the next six to eight weeks, especially as the rainy season approaches, to effectively reach populations in need, particularly in Darfur.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, the Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the UN health agency, echoed these concerns, noting the absence of crucial supplies moving through the Strait of Hormuz. However, she highlighted that flights have resumed from Dubai, which serves as a key logistics center for humanitarian operations. “We have more than 50 emergency supply requests across 25 countries affected by the current suspension,” Dr. Balkhy reported, including Lebanon, Yemen, and Somalia.
Meanwhile, in Geneva, Ms. Shamdasani emphasized the dire situation in Afghanistan, where recent conflicts with Pakistan have displaced an estimated 66,000 individuals. “In Pakistan, shelling and other forms of violence have compelled people to abandon their homes, as civilians on both sides of the border are now fleeing from airstrikes, heavy artillery, mortar fire, and gunfire,” she stated.
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