Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher briefed ambassadors from Beirut on the escalating crisis in Lebanon, describing unprecedented levels of anxiety and tension as airstrikes and drone activity continue to affect the capital and surrounding areas. He stressed the urgent need for collective action to prevent a deeper humanitarian and political crisis, noting that over the past four weeks, more than 1,240 people have been killed and 3,500 injured, including women, children, and first responders.
More than 1.1 million people have been displaced in the same period, with hundreds of thousands of children affected. Fletcher warned that a cycle of coercive displacement is unfolding, forcing families to flee repeatedly, while rockets fired into northern Israel and Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs, and the Bekaa Valley have flattened entire villages and destroyed critical infrastructure, including most bridges south of the Litani River. He emphasized that civilians must be protected under international humanitarian law and that essential services such as healthcare, water, and electricity must be spared.
The crisis has severely disrupted basic services, with hospitals and clinics closing and schools serving as shelters, leaving communities increasingly isolated. Humanitarian agencies have scaled up operations to deliver millions of meals and essential supplies, but funding remains insufficient, with only $94 million received out of a $308 million emergency appeal. Fletcher highlighted the urgent calls from affected populations for safety, dignity, and an end to the violence, urging the international community to act decisively to protect civilians, address mass displacement, and prevent further instability.
The briefing also addressed the recent deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL and serious injuries to others amid the wider conflict. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix condemned the attacks, emphasizing that peacekeepers must never be targeted and that UN installations’ inviolability must be respected. UNIFIL is reviewing its deployment to mitigate risks while maintaining continuous communication with the parties to de-escalate tensions.
Lacroix underscored the necessity of Security Council support for UNIFIL in fully implementing resolution 1701 (2006), which ended hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. He described strong and unified backing from the Council as indispensable for the safety and effectiveness of peacekeepers during this exceptionally dangerous period. Fletcher concluded by conveying solidarity with the Lebanese people, urging them not to give up on Lebanon and highlighting the critical moment as a test of the international community’s promise to prevent Lebanon’s failure.
