Ali, 1, who fled with his family following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, is lifted up by his father near their tent used as shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
More than 200,000 people have fled Lebanon for Syria since fighting resumed a month ago between Israeli forces and Lebanonâs Hezbollah movement, the United Nationsâ refugee agency said on Tuesday (March 31, 2026).
Lebanon was pulled into the West Asia conflict in early March when Israeli-U.S. strikes killed Iranâs supreme leader and Tehran-backed Hezbollah responded by firing rockets at Israel.
Since then, Israel has struck targets across Lebanon and sent ground troops into its neighbourâs territory. Lebanese authorities say more than 1,200 people have been killed.
âNearly a month after hostilities intensified in Lebanon, Syria has seen a sharp rise in people crossing the border from Lebanon,â Aseer al-Madaien, UNHCRâs interim representative in Syria, told a press conference by video link from Damascus.
Between March 2 and 27, âmore than 200,000 people entered Syria through the three official crossing pointsâ, she said.
âThe vast majority â nearly 180,000 â are Syrians, including Syrian refugees who had fled Syria seeking safety in the past in Lebanon and (are) now forced to flee again,â she added.
âMore than 28,000 Lebanese have also crossed into Syria,â she told reporters in Geneva.
The figures were provided by the Syrian authorities and confirmed by UNCHR officials on the ground, she said.
Published â March 31, 2026 11:08 pm IST
