UN's Guterres announces
$325 million flash appeal

1.3 million people directly affected by the crisis

The United Nations (UN) has launched a $325 million emergency humanitarian appeal to support civilians in Lebanon following a sharp escalation of hostilities that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and placed severe pressure on the country’s fragile infrastructure.

UN Secretary General António Guterres said they are with their international partners working with Lebanese authorities to mobilize urgent assistance for affected communities.

The appeal was issued as fighting intensified triggering the most serious deterioration in security conditions since the November 2024 ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

Within the first week of the escalation, hundreds of thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes. According to the Ministry of Public Health, at least 773 people had been killed and more than 1,933 wounded by March 13. Children accounted for roughly 20 percent of the casualties during the first seven days of the conflict.

The UN estimates that about 1.3 million people could be directly affected by the crisis over the next three months, including displaced families, residents of conflict-affected areas, and host communities receiving those forced to flee.

The emergency appeal aims to provide life-saving assistance to up to one million people during that period, including vulnerable Lebanese, Syrian refugees, Palestinian refugees, and migrant communities. Priority needs include emergency shelter, food assistance, health care, water and sanitation services, cash support, education, and protection programs for children and vulnerable groups.

UN officials say rapid funding will be critical to sustain aid operations and prevent a deeper humanitarian crisis as the conflict continues to disrupt services and livelihoods across the country.

Airstrikes and missile exchanges have caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and medical facilities. Public schools across the country were quickly converted into collective shelters, many reaching full capacity within days. Additional displaced families have sought refuge in mosques, community halls, and unfinished buildings, placing increasing strain on already limited services.

The government opened 612 shelters hosting 34,000 families amounting to 130,000 individuals. The number of displaced at press time was more than 830,000.

The country’s health system is also under growing pressure. By March 13, 47 primary health care centers and five hospitals in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs had closed, limiting access to medical care in areas most affected by the fighting. Two hospitals in the capital’s southern suburbs were evacuated following displacement orders earlier in the month, according to the Ministry of Public Health and the Lebanese Red Cross.

Electricity supply and fuel availability remain fragile, raising concerns about hospital operations, water pumping stations, and electricity generation. Fuel shortages and panic buying have also been reported, threatening the continuity of essential services.

Lebanon was already facing severe humanitarian challenges before the latest escalation. According to the 2026 Lebanon Response Plan coordinated by the United Nations, about three million people in the country required assistance even before the renewed hostilities. Nearly 961,000 were experiencing acute food insecurity.

Humanitarian access to affected areas has become increasingly difficult. Ongoing hostilities in southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut, as well as damaged roads and the presence of unexploded ordnance, are complicating efforts to deliver aid.