1.24M in Lebanon Face Food Insecurity by August

More than 1.2 million people in Lebanon are projected to face crisis-level or worse food insecurity by August, driven by recent conflict, mass displacement and economic strain, according to a joint report from the United Nations and Lebanon's government.

The analysis, released Wednesday by Lebanon's Ministry of Agriculture, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme, highlights how the latest fighting has reversed prior humanitarian progress. It found that 1.24 million individuals will struggle to meet basic food needs, resorting to reduced diets or harmful coping strategies. "Families who were just managing to cope are now being pushed back into crisis as conflict, displacement and rising costs collide, making food increasingly unaffordable," said Allison Oman Lawi, World Food Programme representative in Lebanon.

The report attributes the crisis to a nearly two-month war that began on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, where it now occupies areas as a buffer zone. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, many losing jobs and relying on aid amid...