Micah Jonah
March 6, 2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has described the escalating conflict in the Middle East as a major humanitarian emergency following the displacement of tens of thousands of people across the region.
Speaking in Geneva on Friday, officials of the UN refugee agency said nearly 100,000 people have been displaced within Lebanon, while thousands of Syrian refugees living in the country have begun crossing back into Syria amid growing security concerns.
The displacement follows large scale evacuation warnings issued by Israel for residents in southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut as hostilities intensify with the Iran backed group, Hezbollah.
According to Ayaki Ito, Director of Emergency and Programme Support at the UN refugee agency, the situation has rapidly deteriorated, requires urgent international attention.
He said the organisation has already classified the crisis as a major humanitarian emergency requiring an immediate regional response.
Ito also disclosed that about 100,000 people have been displaced within Iran since the beginning of the conflict, with humanitarian officials receiving hundreds of calls daily from people seeking assistance.
The World Health Organization has also raised concerns about potential disease outbreaks due to overcrowding in temporary shelters and the lack of adequate water and sanitation facilities among displaced populations.
Regional Director Hanan Balkhy warned that the increasing number of displaced persons in Lebanon poses serious public health risks if urgent humanitarian support is not provided.
Humanitarian agencies say the crisis is expected to worsen if the conflict continues to expand across the region.
