The crisis in Lebanon has escalated sharply since late February 2026, driven by wider regional tensions and conflict. Across the country, civilians are bearing the heaviest impact. More than 2,000 people have been killed, including women and children, and over 1 million people have been forced from their homes as evacuation orders have expanded across South Lebanon, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley.
Lebanon conflict: Facts, FAQs, and how to help
- Fast facts: Lebanon crisis
- What is happening in Lebanon right now?
- Who is affected by the crisis in Lebanon?
- Which areas of Lebanon are impacted?
- How many people have been killed in Lebanon?
- How are children being affected by the crisis in Lebanon?
- How is World Vision responding to the crisis in Lebanon?
- How can I help people affected by the conflict?
Fast facts: Lebanon crisis
- More than 1 million people displaced within Lebanon, including 390,000 children, according to UNICEF reports.
- Approximately 2,000 people killed, including over 250 women and 166 children.
- Families living in overcrowded shelters.
- More than 4 million people need humanitarian assistance.
- Over 80% of Lebanon’s population lives in multidimensional poverty, struggling to access basic needs.
- In some areas of Lebanon, half of the children under 2 are experiencing severe food poverty.
- Over 300 schools have been damaged due to the conflict.
- Humanitarian access remains constrained, limiting aid delivery.
- World Vision has three child sponsorship area programs impacted by the conflict.
- World Vision’s staff in Lebanon is responding by delivering food, hygiene kits, blankets, and other essential support to families staying in collective shelters.
What is happening in Lebanon right now?
Violence has expanded into new areas, increasing risks for civilians and disrupting daily life. A summary of the situation:
- Damage to infrastructure and ongoing insecurity are limiting access to essential services like healthcare, food, and clean water.
- Road damage and insecurity are increasingly isolating communities.
- Humanitarian access remains constrained, making it difficult to reach the most vulnerable populations.
- Families are crowded into shelters or seeking safety wherever they can find it.
- World Vision staff in Lebanon is working with local partners to deliver lifesaving aid, including food, shelter, and protection support for children and families displaced by the violence.
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Who is affected by the crisis in Lebanon?
Since March 2, UNICEF reports there are 1.049 million new internally displaced people (IDPs) as hostilities have escalated. At least 300,000 of the internally displaced are children. More than 140,000 people, including nearly 44,000 children, are in 680 collective shelters, such as schools, hotels, or community centers.
“There aren’t enough shelters to house all of the displaced,” says Heidi Diedrich, World Vision’s national director in Lebanon. “ …The shelters are almost full. … The pace of displacement is far more dramatic than the response can address.”
At least 6,500 people have been injured, and approximately 2,000 people have died, including women and children.
Which areas of Lebanon are impacted?
Evacuation orders have expanded in the South, Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley.
Strikes have increasingly targeted urban and previously less-impacted areas, including central Beirut, along with other neighborhoods such as Haret Saida, Tyre, Aramoun, and Ramlet El Bayda.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
How many people have been killed in Lebanon?
Since March 2, more than 2,000 people have died, including 166 children, and more than 6,500 people have been injured.
UNICEF estimates that an average of 10 children are killed each day during the escalation.
Emergency responders have also been affected, including the deaths of 14 paramedics and one member of the Lebanese Red Cross, underscoring the risks faced by humanitarian personnel.
How are children being affected by the crisis?
Children in Lebanon were already living with high levels of poverty and food insecurity. In some regions of Lebanon, more than half of children under 2 face severe food poverty, and nationally, nearly a third of children had only one meal or none the previous day, even before the escalation of violence.
The conflict is deepening these vulnerabilities for children, disrupting access to food, healthcare, education, and protection services.
World Vision operates three affected area programs in Lebanon, supporting thousands of children. Early assessments showed one-third of the registered children have been displaced, with many families living outside formal shelters.
Sponsorship activities in impacted areas have been realigned so staff can prioritize urgent humanitarian needs for children and families.
How is World Vision responding to the crisis?
World Vision’s staff in Lebanon was among the first humanitarian responders, reaching around 6,000 people within hours of escalation.
Since then, we have reached nearly 151,000 people, including 53,000 children. Support includes:
- Hot meals, ready-to-eat food
- Hygiene kits, mattresses, and blankets
- Water and other essential relief items
- Psychological first aid for children, families, and caregivers
- Child protection services and psychosocial activities
- Alternative learning activities to help children cope with displacement and school closures.
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“Our teams have been working around the clock,” says Heidi Diedrich, World Vision’s national director in Lebanon. “With World Vision, as a child-focused organization, the first thing we do is focus on the wellbeing of the child and what we must do to ensure their protection.”
We are working alongside 16 local partner organizations and supporting community kitchens with fresh and dry ingredients.
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As humanitarian needs increase, we are scaling up lifesaving support while continuing longer‑term efforts that help communities recover and build stronger futures for children.
How can I help people affected by the conflict?
We remain steadfast in our commitment to children across the Middle East and beyond and invite you to partner with us in our work.
Please join us in praying for:
- Access to food, clean water, and healthcare
- Safety and strength for humanitarian aid workers.
- Protection of children and displaced families
- Peace and stability across the region
You can also give a gift today to help World Vision’s global disaster response work in Lebanon and other areas impacted by disasters.
Kristy J. O’Hara-Glaspie from World Vision U.S. contributed to this report.
