The objective is to support people affected by the conflict in the region; Lebanese government projects up to 1.2 million internally displaced people
THE United States Department of State announced on Friday (Oct 4, 2024) that it sent US$ 157 million in humanitarian aid to “support populations affected by the conflict in Lebanon and the region”.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the amount will be used to meet “to the needs of internally displaced people and refugee populations within Lebanon and the communities that host them”. A portion will also be allocated to support “those who are fleeing to Syria”. Here’s the complete of the document (PDF – 32 kB).
There will be US$82 million through the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and US$75 million from Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.
The government of Lebanon he said that the conflict could lead to up to 1.2 million people being displaced in the country.
ESCALATION OF CONFLICT
Lebanon and Israel are going through moments of great tension in their relations. Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah have been fighting on the border since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, after an attack by Hamas, an ally of the extremist group
The conflict intensified after 2 attacks on communication devices used by the extremist group. Lebanon accuses the Jewish country, which denies responsibility. Pager and walkie-talkie explosions in mid-September left at least 32 dead and more than 3,000 injured.
Tensions escalated further after Israel launched a major airstrike on September 23 and prompted an evacuation of Lebanese.
Since then, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has been carrying out daily attacks on locations that, according to the military, are linked to the extremist group Hezbollah. These are the most intense air attacks in almost a year of conflict in the region.
On Saturday (September 28, 2024), Israel confirmed the death of Hasan Nasrallah, the main leader of Hezbollah, in an attack in Beirut. Tel Aviv stated that other leaders of the extremist group died in the offensive carried out on Friday (September 27). Among them, Muhammad Ali Ismail, commander of the Hezbollah Missile Unit in southern Lebanon, and his deputy, Hussein Ahmad Ismail.
On September 30, Israel began a ground offensive “limited” in Lebanon, further accentuating the conflict.
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