IOM warns of 'alarming' risk of long-term mass displacement in Lebanon

Beirut: Amy Pope, head of the International Organization for Migration, has warned that the risk of prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is “very alarming.”

Speaking to AFP in Beirut, Pope pointed to the scale of destruction and the likelihood of further escalation as key concerns. She said large areas in southern Lebanon are being “completely flattened,” warning that even if the war were to end immediately, the damage would leave lasting consequences.

Pope stressed that recovery would require significant funding, resources, and, most importantly, sustained peace. Without these conditions, she cautioned that displaced populations could remain uprooted for an indefinite period.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than one million people have been displaced since the country was drawn into the wider Middle East conflict last month. The escalation followed rocket attacks by Hezbollah, which it said were in response to a joint US-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In response, Israel has launched extensive airstrikes across Lebanon and initiated ground operations, while issuing evacuation warnings across southern regions and densely populated suburbs of Beirut.

Officials report that over 136,000 displaced individuals are currently sheltering in collective facilities, including schools and stadiums.

Pope described the current crisis as “far more severe” than previous rounds of hostilities, highlighting the growing strain on shelters and the fact that many families displaced in earlier conflicts have yet to return home.