LONDON: At least 130,000 people have escaped from Lebanon to Syria since the start of March, as the fighting in the region has drawn Lebanon into the war between the US and Israel against Iran.
The International Organization for Migration, an affiliated UN agency, reported that the flow of people reflects how quickly conflict can reshape migration patterns.
Between March 2 and 18, most of those crossing into Syria were Syrians, many of whom are staying with relatives or in temporary shelters and require cash assistance, food, and housing, according to the IOM.
There are also some Lebanese citizens who must possess a permit, have a Syrian relative, own property, or have an invitation to enter the country.
At present there are 532,357 Syrian refugees registered with the UN Human Rights Council. However, the Lebanese government estimates the true number who fled the civil war in Syria, which began in 2011 and ended with the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, is about 1.12 million.
Since the start of the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah earlier this month, more than 1 million internally displaced people have been recorded, with the majority in the capital, Beirut, and villages in southern Lebanon, where Israeli strikes are concentrated.
“Across the region, mobility patterns suggest that many movements are precautionary and temporary, as people seek safety while monitoring the evolving situation, including in Iran,” the IOM said.
