Mass Displacement Crisis Spreads in Southern Lebanon Due to Israeli Attacks

Thousands Flee Homes in Lebanon’s South Amid Israeli Evacuation Order

A forced evacuation order has been issued by Israel to all residents of southern Lebanon, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. The Israeli military has announced plans to bomb what it describes as Hezbollah targets, with the goal of moving north beyond the Litani River.

According to reports from Al Jazeera, at least 83,000 people have been displaced from their homes across Lebanon since Israel launched renewed air strikes on the country earlier this week. The Lebanese Health Ministry has confirmed that at least 72 people, including seven children, have been killed and 437 others wounded in the wave of Israeli attacks.

The conflict has intensified cross-border fighting, with Hezbollah launching rockets towards Israeli territory following Saturday’s start of attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran. The Israeli military has also launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon alongside its aerial bombardment.

Aid groups have warned that the renewed fighting will have dire consequences for the Lebanese population. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that tens of thousands of people were already uprooted from their homes before this week’s attacks began, with over 12,000 families finding refuge in over 300 shelters nationwide.

Lebanese officials have expressed concern about the situation, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stating that his government will “spare no effort” to end the war and help displaced families return to their homes. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has also asked the US ambassador to Lebanon to urge Washington to intervene to stop the Israeli attacks.

The conflict has sparked a wave of mass displacement across the Middle East, with the US-Israeli war with Iran fueling a spiralling crisis in the region.

Source: Al Jazeera