GENEVA – UN experts* today raised the alarm over a rapidly escalating displacement crisis in Lebanon, after intense Israeli airstrikes and evacuation warnings in southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut.

“Within days, tens of thousands of civilians have once again been forced to flee their homes, many with nothing but the clothes they were wearing,” the experts said. “Displacement on this scale, unfolding in a matter of hours, is a stark reminder that civilians continue to bear the brunt of hostilities.”

The experts said there were reports of more than 700,000 people displaced across Lebanon since the attacks began in early March, of which 200,000 are children. Thousands of displaced people are seeking refuge in public buildings, schools or overcrowded shelters. Others have spent nights in their cars or on roadsides as they flee bombardment and evacuation warnings.

More than 100 villages in southern Lebanon are affected, the experts said.

“Behind every number is a family terrified and forced to flee in fear,” the experts said.

“Collective shelters are filling rapidly, essential services are under pressure, and thousands of people remain on the move without adequate protection or assistance,” they said. “Without urgent support, the situation risks deteriorating into a full-scale humanitarian emergency.”

“Civilians must never be treated as targets or collateral damage,” the experts said. “Attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects, including homes and essential infrastructure, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.”

“Ordering civilians to evacuate does not absolve parties of their legal obligations,” the experts said.

“Warnings must be effective, civilians must have a genuine possibility to reach safety, and those displaced must be ensured adequate protection and assistance.”

The experts warned that when homes are destroyed, communities shattered and return rendered impossible, displacement becomes not temporary protection but a long-term human rights crisis.

“Forced displacement may also amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes under international law,” they warned.

The experts said the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international humanitarian law and human rights law and must cease immediately.

“The Israeli invasion violates Lebanese national sovereignty, only serves to destabilise the region further, and pushes all actors away from a political resolution, which is the only path to solve this crisis,” they said.

“These attacks form part of a broader pattern of assaults against civilian populations in the region. An international investigation into their causes and impacts is urgently warranted,” the experts said.

The experts called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and ensure safe, unimpeded humanitarian access. They stressed that accountability is essential, warning that impunity continues to fuel the crisis in the Levant.