670,000 Refugees in Lebanon... Another Living Hell in Just Two Years

Authorities estimate death toll at 600

On the 10th (local time), Israel carried out an airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, causing massive dark clouds to rise over the city center. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

As the United States is reportedly considering an "exit strategy" from the Iran war, there are predictions that Israel may continue its airstrikes on Lebanon even after the end of hostilities. Lebanon, which has experienced devastation once again in just two years, has seen around 670,000 refugees and more than 600 deaths.

On March 10 (local time), The New York Times (NYT), citing United Nations (UN) refugee agency figures, reported that Lebanon has emerged as a new major front in the Middle East war, resulting in approximately 670,000 refugees as of that day. The number of deaths confirmed by Lebanese authorities has also reached about 600.

Last week, after the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah launched a rocket attack on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Israeli military responded with a large-scale bombing operation. Additionally, evacuation orders were issued for residents in southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut.

The NYT reported that Lebanese leaders and international aid organizations have warned that the crisis could intensify once again in Lebanon, which is still recovering from the war between Israel and Hezbollah that ended in 2024. Israel and Hezbollah began a full-scale war in Lebanon in October 2024, continued border clashes, and eventually agreed to an official ceasefire through the mediation of U.S. President Donald Trump. The recent Iranian airstrike is now seen as a potential trigger for the resumption of war.

However, it has been reported that Israel has decided to continue its independent war with Lebanon, even as the possibility of an early end to the Iran war is being discussed. Previously, President Trump unexpectedly mentioned the possibility of an early end to the war at an official press conference held in Florida on March 9. According to outlets such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), this was interpreted as a decision made based on advice from White House staff, and it was the first press conference held since the war began.

The UK’s Financial Times (FT) reported the previous day that Israel is preparing for a long-term operation against Hezbollah even after the end of the war. Another Arab diplomat told the outlet, "Israel is preparing the international community for the possibility that the war with Hezbollah could last longer than the war with Iran."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.