Over 1.2 million in Lebanon face acute hunger amid conflict

More than 1.2 million people in Lebanon are expected to face acute hunger this year due to "conflict, displacement and economic pressures," according to a United Nations-backed report. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture stated that 1.24 million individuals are "expected to face food insecurity" at crisis levels or worse between April and August.

The report, conducted by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), indicates a "significant deterioration" compared to the situation before the war erupted on March 2. Prior to this escalation, approximately 874,000 people, or 17 percent of the population, were experiencing acute food insecurity. Allison Oman Lawi, WFP’s country director in Lebanon, noted that "families who were just managing to cope are now being pushed back into crisis as conflict, displacement and rising costs collide, making food increasingly unaffordable."

Nora Ourabah Haddad, the FAO representative in Lebanon, emphasized that "compounded shocks are undermining agricultural livelihoods and impacting food security," highlighting the urgent need for emergency agricultural assistance to support farmers. A ceasefire effective on April 17 has reduced fighting intensity, yet both sides continue to exchange fire, and Israeli forces remain active in southern Lebanon, where residents have been warned against returning.

The report warns that "acute food insecurity is likely to deepen without sustained and timely humanitarian and livelihood support," indicating that the situation remains precarious for millions in Lebanon.