The war between Hamas and Israel has repercussions beyond the Gaza Strip and the Jewish state. In Lebanon, while clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah raise fears of an escalation on the border between the two countries, more than 19,000 people have been displaced, according to figures published Monday by a specialized United Nations agency.
“An increase in cross-border incidents” has led to the displacement of 19,646 people in Lebanon “both in the South and elsewhere in the country,” says the report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). “We expect these figures to increase as cross-border tensions persist” or in the event of an escalation of violence, said an IOM spokesperson, Mohammedali Abunajela, in a statement to AFP .
Missiles versus rockets
Since the start of the war triggered by the unprecedented attack by Palestinian Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7, clashes have been almost daily on the Israeli-Lebanese border and fears of seeing the powerful pro-Iranian Hezbollah open a new front from Lebanon are keen. Faced with repeated attacks, dozens of communities were ordered to evacuate in Israel. The Israeli army responds with bombings on targets in southern Lebanon.
At least 40 people were killed on the Lebanese side of the border, according to an AFP count based on press releases, official or security sources, most of them fighters but also at least four civilians, including the Reuters journalist. Issam Abdallah. The Israeli army, for its part, reported four deaths, three soldiers and one civilian.