UN: Over 100,000 refugees flee Lebanon to Syria amid Israeli airstrikes

The number of people fleeing from Lebanon to Syria due to Israeli attacks has reached 100,000, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on his X page.

UNHCR is working at four crossing points alongside local authorities and Syrian Red Crescent to support new arrivals, Caliber.Az reports.

The number of people who have crossed into Syria from Lebanon fleeing Israeli airstrikes — Lebanese and Syrian nationals — has reached 100,000. The outflow continues.

UNHCR is present at four crossing points alongside local authorities and @SYRedCrescent to support new arrivals. pic.twitter.com/7dtrghsMH4

— Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) September 30, 2024

According to government figures cited by the UNHCR, at least 1.5 million Syrian refugees are residing in Lebanon. Many of these individuals escaped the conflict in Syria, which began in 2011 when a largely peaceful anti-government uprising was met with a violent response from President Bashar al-Assad.

However, in recent days, the tide has begun to turn as the Israeli military has intensified its operations against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, conducting airstrikes in Lebanon that have resulted in over 700 fatalities in the past week.

By Aghakazim Guliyev