Lebanon is facing a growing food insecurity crisis as ongoing conflict, displacement, and economic collapse converge, putting nearly one in four people at risk of acute hunger this summer. A recent assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projects that approximately 1.24 million people—about 24 percent of the assessed population—will experience high levels of food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or above, through August. This figure surpasses earlier estimates and signals a deterioration largely driven by escalating hostilities in the region.

Since March 2, Lebanon’s southern areas have been affected by intensified military actions following Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks against northern Israel, which were in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran. Israel has launched continuous bombing campaigns on southern Beirut suburbs, southern Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa Valley, despite a ceasefire announced on April 18 that has failed to halt the violence. These hostilities have displaced more than 1.2 million Lebanese, including at least 390,000 children, forcing many to flee nearly a quarter of Lebanon’s territory.

For displaced families like that of Hassan Harb, 73, the crisis is deeply personal. After escaping his hometown of Kherbet Selem, Harb and his family sought refuge with relatives in Beirut, only to find they too had been uprooted. With nowhere else to go, they have lived in a makeshift tent for over two months, lacking access to hot meals, medical care, or sustained aid. Harb, who previously ran a small kiosk, is now unemployed and reliant on limited donations, saying he has received only a single box of canned food since displacement.

The IPC report highlights that Lebanon’s food crisis is multifaceted, with regional conflict exacerbating existing economic vulnerabilities. Rising fuel and transportation costs, increased prices for imports and agricultural inputs, disrupted remittance flows, and declining market confidence are compounding pressures on household purchasing power. Certain regions, such as Baalbek and Hermel in the east, Akkar in the north, and southern districts including Bint Jbeil and Tyre, alongside Syrian and Palestinian refugee communities, face particularly severe impacts.

Humanitarian organizations emphasize that food insecurity extends beyond mere food availability. Access to safe, nutritious food, clean drinking water, and adequate sanitation remain critical concerns. UNHCR spokesperson Dalal Harb characterized the IPC findings as a warning sign, noting that the agency is working closely with Lebanon’s Ministry of Social Affairs and other partners to support emergency responses funded by a recent $300 million appeal to the international community. To date, UNHCR has received 40 percent of its allocated $61 million to assist 600,000 vulnerable individuals.

Rasha Abou Dargham, World Food Programme’s Lebanon spokesperson, described the situation as one of the country’s most severe food crises, exacerbated by a longstanding refugee presence, economic fragility, and rising food prices driven by regional instability. The Food and Agriculture Organization also pointed to the compounding effects of damaged agricultural livelihoods and the lingering impact of the 2024 conflict. Many families have been forced to substitute costly protein sources like meat with cheaper staples such as pasta and potatoes.

In response, Lebanese officials are contemplating budget reallocations to prioritize urgent humanitarian needs, including potential shifts of funds from infrastructure to relief efforts. Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani warned of an "exceptionally dangerous phase," with food insecurity increasing from 18 percent to 24 percent of the population requiring immediate humanitarian intervention. He underscored the urgency of reopening Arab markets to Lebanese products and restoring land routes to mitigate the crisis.

Hani concluded that safeguarding Lebanon’s food security demands a coordinated national and international approach to address the converging humanitarian, economic, and political challenges destabilizing the country.