From our correspondent in Beirut. The war between Israel and Hezbollah is spreading to other parts of Lebanon and is hitting civilians the hardest. The fighting has already driven more than one million people from their homes, pushing the country to the brink of a new humanitarian crisis.
While diplomatic efforts by the Lebanese government are failing, authorities are reporting further attacks on civilian infrastructure as well as on central Beirut. We summarise what is happening in the south of the country, the current chances for a ceasefire, and how the war in Lebanon is linked to Syria.<\/p>\n
Israeli attacks since 2 March have killed at least 1,001 people in Lebanon, the country\u2019s health ministry announced.<\/p>\n
According to UNICEF deputy executive director Ted Chaiban<\/a>, the daily number of children killed and wounded in Lebanon roughly equals the size of one school class of 30 pupils. At least 111 children have been killed and nearly a further 400 are among the wounded.<\/p>\n More than one million people have already been forced from their homes by the war. More than one-third of them are children.<\/p>\n UN high commissioner for human rights Volker T\u00fcrk warned early in the war that sweeping Israeli evacuation orders raised serious concerns under international law.<\/p>\n Strikes spread from the south of the country and the southern suburbs of the capital \u2014 generally seen as home to the country\u2019s Shia minority and many Hizbollah supporters \u2014 into central Beirut.<\/p>\n \u201cI am a US citizen and a surgeon who cared for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. For seven years, I paid off a small flat in central Beirut, where my three children could spend their summers. Today, Israel has turned my dream home into rubble, using American weapons paid for with my taxes,\u201d Haytham Khafarani reacted on X to the strike in the Bashoura district in the city centre, which levelled a multi-storey building.<\/p>\n I am a US citizen & Surgeon who took care of the Boston Maraton Bombing victims in 2013. I paid for 7 years to own a small apartment in downtown #Beirut<\/a> for my 3 kids to enjoy summers there. Today, #Israel<\/a> reduced my dream home to rubble, with american weapons, paid by my taxes. pic.twitter.com\/E6Ab1T769w<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Haytham Kaafarani (@hayfarani) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Since last Wednesday (18 March), Israel has attacked various neighbourhoods in the heart of the capital, where thousands of internally displaced people have sought refuge \u2014 in official shelters, on the streets, in rented flats or with relatives. Many families lack stable electricity, heating, access to drinking water and basic sanitation.<\/p>\n For many long-term and newly arrived residents of Beirut, leaving the city is impossible not only because there are few places left to go, but also because they need to keep their jobs<\/a> in a country mired for years in economic crisis and political instability.<\/p>\n Hizbollah\u2019s decision to avenge the killing of Iran\u2019s supreme leader Ali Khamenei by firing rockets at Israel has dragged the whole of Lebanon into the centre of a regional conflict now in its third week.<\/p>\n We summarise developments in recent days not only in the capital, but also in other parts of Lebanon, as Israeli forces advance deeper into the country and calls for a ceasefire from the Lebanese government, the international community and humanitarian organisations go unanswered.<\/p>\n What is happening in the south?<\/p>\n In recent days, the Israeli army has expanded its unilateral evacuation orders to areas south of the Zahrani river and launched bombardments that have razed much of the southern region. Israeli units have reportedly also pushed their ground incursion further into the country and consolidated their positions.<\/p>\n There are fears in Lebanon that what Israel called a \u201climited\u201d ground operation could lead to an occupation of the south, as has happened in the past.<\/p>\n According to some sources, the seizure of the area south of the Litani river is only the first step in Israel\u2019s plan: it could be followed by an advance north of the river and potentially also northeast into the Bekaa valley.<\/p>\n