Main Lebanon-Syria border crossing closed due to Israeli airstrikes

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR announced that the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria has been closed to vehicles following overnight Israeli airstrikes near the area.

The Masnaa crossing, which connects Lebanon to Syria at Jdaidit Yabws, is a critical route for those fleeing conflict, but traffic has been halted, according to UNHCR spokeswoman Rula Amin.

Despite the closure of the Masnaa crossing, three other border points remain open. Amin highlighted that the crossing had been the main thoroughfare for people escaping Lebanon, with up to 1 million displaced within the country and over 185,000 fleeing to Syria.

Lebanon faces displacement crisis

Speaking to reporters from Amman, Jordan, Amin revealed that most of Lebanon’s nearly 900 government-established collective shelters are operating at full capacity, forcing displaced individuals to seek shelter elsewhere. Many people are now sleeping in public spaces, including parks and along Beirut’s seaside Corniche.

“Most of the nearly 900 government-established collective shelters in Lebanon have no more capacity,” Amin told the Geneva press briefing. In coordination with local authorities, efforts are being made to identify new sites, including some hotels that are beginning to open their doors to the displaced.

Mathieu Luciano, head of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Lebanon office, confirmed that the shelters in Beirut and Mount Lebanon are at capacity, with a few locations still offering space.

Children fleeing alone

Amin also noted that 60% of the individuals fleeing from Lebanon to Syria were children or adolescents, with some arriving unaccompanied.

This growing crisis reflects the severe impact of the ongoing conflict, which has displaced over 1.2 million Lebanese and resulted in nearly 2,000 deaths since the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, most of them occurring in the past two weeks.