Half a Million Displaced in Lebanon as Israeli Airstrikes and Ground Operation Intensify
People walk amongst the rubble of a building targeted in an Israeli airstrike in Sir el-Gharbiyeh, south Lebanon, 08 March 2026 leaving at least 17 people killed and 7 others injured. The Israeli military stated it is conducting strikes across the country targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and personnel. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, at least 394 people were killed and 1160 others injured in airstrikes across Beirut’s southern suburbs and villages in southern Lebanon. Photo: EFE.
March 9, 2026 Hour: 3:32 am
Lebanese authorities report that Israel’s intensified military campaign in Lebanon has killed 394 people, including 83 children, and displaced more than half a million since late February, when coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a major regional escalation.
Hezbollah has responded with retaliatory strikes on military targets in northern Israel, vowing to continue resistance following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli attacks.
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According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, the Zionist offensive that started in March 2 has wounded 1,130 people, with minors accounting for 254 of those casualties.
The Disaster Risk Management Unit has registered 517,000 displaced individuals, though officials acknowledge the actual figure is likely far higher, as many families shelter in vehicles, with relatives, or in rental housing rather than official sites.
Tel Aviv’s campaign, which includes a ground operation in southern Lebanon alongside airstrikes on the south, east, and Beirut suburbs, has created what authorities describe as a severe humanitarian crisis.
Michael Young, a Lebanese analyst and writer, suggested that Israel might attempt to “redraw the demographic map” of Lebanon to undermine Hezbollah and isolate it from its traditional support network.
Author: Victor Miranda
Source: agencies / Al-Jazeera
