Israeli Strikes on Lebanon Kill Dozens, Spark Mass Displacement

A new and devastating front has opened in the expanding Iran-Israel conflict, with Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon killing at least 31 people and injuring 149 others, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The strikes on Monday, 2 March 2026, have caused mass displacement, with thousands of civilians fleeing their homes in the southern suburbs of Beirut and villages in the south.

The escalation followed Hezbollah's launch of missiles and drones towards Israel, a direct retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in earlier US-Israeli strikes. The militant group's intervention dramatically widens the conflict, which began with the US and Israel attacking Iran on Saturday.

Roads out of Beirut and southern towns like Tyre were reported to be jammed with families desperately seeking safety, as the threat of further intense bombardment hangs over the region. The Lebanese government has yet to issue a formal response to the displacement crisis, but humanitarian concerns are mounting as shelters fill up and basic services come under pressure.

The strikes on Lebanon form part of a broader regional escalation. At the same time, Iran has launched new missile and drone attacks targeting energy sites in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In a rare and significant incident, Kuwaiti air defences mistakenly shot down three US F-15 fighter jets involved in operations against Iran, although all six crew members ejected safely. As the conflict enters its third day, with hundreds reportedly dead across Iran and new fronts emerging, international calls for a ceasefire are increasing, though the chances of de-escalation seem to be diminishing.