UN: Humanitarian Situation in Southern Lebanon Worsens

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated on Tuesday that the humanitarian situation in the city of Tyre and its surrounding areas in southern Lebanon is worsening. The UN said the conditions are deteriorating amid repeated displacement orders and ongoing attacks by Israeli forces. OCHA noted that many civilians, including residents of Tyre, people living in Palestinian refugee camps, and displaced persons from other parts of southern Lebanon, remain in the area. According to OCHA, a displacement order issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday for the entire city of Tyre in the South Governorate, including all residential areas and Palestinian refugee camps, will affect nearly 44,000 people, many of whom are already displaced. Despite the order and its accompanying risks, initial reports from local authorities and partners indicate that most families will remain in Tyre, with many choosing to stay due to limited options. Some were reported to have sought shelter further north, in the city of Saida and the Chouf District in the Mount Lebanon Governorate. On Tuesday, no large-scale population movements were observed from the Palestinian refugee camps, although approximately 10,000 people had previously fled to UNRWA shelters in the Saida District and northern Lebanon following an evacuation order for Tyre issued around ten days prior. Meanwhile, attacks continue to impact healthcare services. On Monday, an airstrike near a Lebanese Red Cross centre in Tyre reportedly killed five people and injured eight others, including four paramedics. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, at least nine people were killed and more than 28 others injured in a series of attacks on Tuesday targeting the densely populated Al Masaken residential area in Tyre. The UN reiterated the urgent need to protect civilians, guarantee safe and sustained humanitarian access, and respect international humanitarian law. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stated that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) detected 48 violations of Lebanese airspace by Israel and nine airstrikes carried out by IDF fighter jets on Monday, as well as a separate incident of sustained machine-gun fire from an IDF helicopter. On the same Monday, UNIFIL peacekeepers reported 446 projectile trajectories fired from IDF positions within the mission’s area of operations, and 10 projectile trajectories suspected to have been fired by Hizbullah. Haq explained that UNIFIL facilitated seven humanitarian missions to Tyre and its surrounding areas on Monday.