A report supported by the United Nations revealed on Wednesday that over 1.2 million individuals in Lebanon are projected to confront severe hunger as a result of the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The announcement came through a joint declaration by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, and Lebanon’s agriculture ministry.
Approximately 1.24 million people, translating to nearly one-fourth of the analyzed population, are anticipated to experience food insecurity at crisis levels or worse from April to August 2026, as per the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-affiliated entity that monitors hunger and malnutrition.
This situation represents a notable decline from the period before the outbreak of the conflict in March, when an estimated 874,000 individuals, roughly 17% of the population, were grappling with acute food insecurity, the statement clarified. The reasons cited for this deterioration include conflict, displacement, and economic strains.
Despite a ceasefire implemented since April 17, which halted six weeks of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-supported militant organization Hezbollah, claiming over 2,500 lives in Lebanon and displacing more than a million people, the situation remains tense. Israeli forces remain active in southern Lebanon near the border, cautioning residents against returning, while both sides continue to engage in skirmishes despite the truce.
The statement emphasized that without consistent and timely humanitarian and livelihood assistance, the severity of acute food insecurity is likely to escalate further.