Approximately 100,000 individuals have sought refuge in Syria from Lebanon amid escalating Israeli air strikes, a number that has doubled within just two days, according to the United Nations' top refugee official. Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), announced on X that the number of people crossing into Syria from Lebanon to escape Israeli airstrikes, including both Lebanese and Syrian nationals, has reached 100,000. "The outflow continues," he cautioned.
The UNHCR is actively present at four crossing points, collaborating with local authorities and the Syrian Red Crescent to assist the newly arrived refugees. This mass exodus into war-ravaged Syria commenced on September 23, as reported by the UNHCR on Saturday. In recent days, Israel has expanded its military operations to include Lebanon, in addition to the Gaza Strip, targeting Iran's regional ally, Hezbollah. Notably, strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon resulted in the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday.
Over the past week, Israeli bombardments have claimed the lives of more than 700 people in Lebanon, including 14 paramedics within a two-day span, according to Lebanon's health ministry. By Friday, the UNHCR reported that 30,000 people had crossed into Syria. Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, the UNHCR representative in Syria, noted that approximately 80% of the refugees were Syrian nationals, while 20% were Lebanese. "Most are women and children, although some males have crossed. About half are children and adolescents," he informed reporters.
Llosa emphasized that the fleeing individuals are arriving in a country that has been grappling with its own crisis and violence for over 13 years, as well as economic collapse. "People fleeing the bombing arrive in Syria exhausted, traumatised, and in desperate need of help," he concluded.
