Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Lebanon, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon, March 5, 2026. (Credit: Ammar Awad/ Reuters)
On Thursday, Lebanese authorities updated the toll from Israeli strikes on civilians, reporting at least 102 deaths – 30 more than the previous count – and 638 injuries. So far, 95,773 people have been accommodated across 442 activated shelters, not including those who fled southern Lebanon and relocated independently or with relatives.
These numbers are expected to rise following a new evacuation order issued Thursday by the Israeli army, covering more than 20 square kilometers in Beirut’s southern suburbs and prompting hundreds of thousands to flee ahead of potential large-scale strikes.
Thursday evening, the Minister of Social Development, Haneen Sayed said that “state institutions are on maximum alert and mobilized to provide the best possible response.”
“Today, we are facing a terrible situation after the major alert issued to our citizens in the southern suburbs … At this moment, we need the highest degree of national solidarity and collective responsibility,” the minister said.
Measures Announced by Minister Sayed:
- All public schools and universities across Lebanon will be opened to host displaced persons, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, governors, municipalities, the Disaster Management Unit, the Lebanese Red Cross, and U.N. agencies.
- Displaced individuals are being urged to head to the North, Akkar, and the Bekaa, where there is significant capacity to accommodate them.
- Additional centers will open in Beirut in the coming hours, including the Sports City, the Charles Helou bus terminal, and the Olympic pool in Dbayeh.
- Starting Friday, the Minister of Social Development, in cooperation with the World Food Programme (WFP), will begin transferring financial aid to 50,000 displaced families as part of the emergency response. Families will be notified by SMS of the contact points where they can receive aid.
- An online registry will be established from Friday to allow displaced families – whether in shelters or private homes – to register for contact during the next phase of assistance.
- Several Arab countries have announced plans to set up a humanitarian airlift to deliver aid to Lebanon.
- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam will hold an emergency meeting Friday with all accredited ambassadors in Lebanon “to brief them on the latest developments and seek all possible support in all areas, given the current circumstances.”
- Food and humanitarian convoys will be sent to those who remain in their homes in the South, including in the most exposed villages.
- The Disaster Management Center continues to provide all necessary information via its WhatsApp channel, which has been shared with Lebanese citizens via SMS.
Minister Sayed also expressed gratitude to citizens in regions hosting displaced persons, families opening their homes, and municipalities and local communities that mobilized to assist and support people. “We will spare no effort to end this destructive war and allow our displaced citizens to return home safely,” she concluded.
