UN Warns Israel-Hezbollah Escalation Is Driving Mass Displacement in Lebanon

Israeli authorities have issued sweeping evacuation orders covering Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa region and the entire area south of the Litani River, affecting more than 100 towns and villages.

United Nations human rights experts have warned that Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s continued rocket attacks are pushing the region toward a dangerous escalation while inflicting heavy suffering on civilians.

Israeli ground incursions into southern Lebanon, large-scale displacement orders affecting major population centres, and continued airstrikes across the country are creating widespread fear and humanitarian distress, the experts said.

“The devastating impact of this renewed conflict is already before our eyes, with civilians paying a painfully heavy price,” they warned.

Hundreds of Thousands Facing Displacement

Israeli authorities have issued sweeping evacuation orders covering Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa region and the entire area south of the Litani River, affecting more than 100 towns and villages.

These areas are home to tens of thousands of residents, and the scale of the warnings risks affecting hundreds of thousands more as the conflict expands.

On Thursday, the Israeli army reportedly urged the complete evacuation of nearly all of Beirut’s southern suburb, one of the country’s most densely populated urban areas. Similar warnings were issued for parts of eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.

The breadth and speed of the evacuation orders have created widespread panic among residents, many of whom lack safe alternatives or the means to relocate quickly.

UN experts warned that such large-scale displacement instructions raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, particularly when civilians cannot realistically comply.

“Their breadth makes them very difficult for the population to comply with and therefore brings into question their effectiveness,” the experts said, noting that the orders risk amounting to prohibited forced displacement.

Civilian Casualties Mount

Airstrikes across Lebanon have already caused significant civilian casualties.

In one attack on 4 March, an Israeli strike reportedly hit a residential building in Baalbek, killing at least eight people, including three girls and two women.

A second strike on 5 March targeted a building in Nabatyeh district, reportedly killing a family of four.

The experts stressed that such incidents require prompt, independent and thorough investigations to determine whether the attacks complied with the core principles of international humanitarian law — distinction, proportionality and precaution.

Rocket Attacks on Israeli Cities

At the same time, Hezbollah has continued firing barrages of rockets into Israel, striking residential areas in both northern and central parts of the country.

At least three people were reportedly injured in recent attacks, raising renewed concerns about indiscriminate strikes against civilian areas.

International law strictly prohibits attacks that fail to distinguish between military targets and civilian populations.

Urgent Call for De-Escalation

The UN experts warned that the current trajectory risks pushing Lebanon and Israel into a much larger regional conflict.

They urged all parties to step back from further escalation and recommit to diplomatic and legal frameworks designed to prevent renewed war.

Specifically, they called for full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which governs the ceasefire arrangements along the Israel-Lebanon border, as well as the 2024 ceasefire commitments aimed at reducing hostilities.

“We urge the parties to step back from the brink of a major escalation of this conflict in Lebanon,” the experts said.

Protect Civilians and Respect Sovereignty

The experts stressed that the protection of civilians must remain the highest priority as tensions intensify across the region.

They also reiterated the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and safeguarding the human rights of its population.

“The sovereignty of Lebanon and the human rights of its people must be respected,” they said.