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Almost 700,000 Displaced in Lebanon as War Enters Second Week

Smoke plumes rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on March 9, 2026. (Photo by FADEL itani / AFP)
Smoke plumes rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on March 9, 2026. (Photo by FADEL itani / AFP)
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Almost 700,000 Displaced in Lebanon as War Enters Second Week

Smoke plumes rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on March 9, 2026. (Photo by FADEL itani / AFP)
Smoke plumes rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on March 9, 2026. (Photo by FADEL itani / AFP)

Escalating hostilities have forced nearly 700,000 people to flee their homes in Lebanon, a UN agency said on Monday, as the war between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah entered a second week. 

Lebanon has been pulled deep into the war in the Middle East since Hezbollah opened fire to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, igniting an Israeli offensive which has killed more than 400 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. 

The toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon rose to 486 people killed and 1,313 wounded since the start of fighting last week, the Lebanese health ministry said Monday. 

"The toll of the Israeli aggression from dawn on Monday, March 2, until Monday afternoon, March 9, has risen to 486 martyrs and 1,313 wounded," the ministry said in a statement. 

Israeli strikes sent columns of smoke billowing from Beirut's Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs, and over the hilltops of southern Lebanon. 

Security sources in Lebanon said Israeli airstrikes hit five branches of a financial institution run by Hezbollah, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, in the southern suburbs after Israel announced it would act against it. 

'CHILDREN ARE BEING KILLED' 

The Israeli military has ordered people out of the southern suburbs, a swathe of south Lebanon, and parts of the eastern Bekaa Valley ‌region - all areas that ‌have served as political and security strongholds of Hezbollah. 

"Mass displacement across Lebanon ‌has forced ⁠nearly 700,000 people – including ⁠around 200,000 children – from their homes, adding to the tens of thousands already uprooted from previous escalations," Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF regional director, said in a statement. 

"Children are being killed and injured at a horrifying rate, families are fleeing their homes in fear, and thousands of children are now sleeping in cold and overcrowded shelters," he said. 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, visiting his military's northern command, said the mass evacuations presented an opportunity "to make this area even safer". 

The Israeli military announced on Sunday that two of its soldiers had ⁠been killed in southern Lebanon, its first fatalities of the conflict. No fatalities have been reported ‌in Israel as a result of Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks. 

Lebanon, with a ‌population of some 6 million, has turned its largest sports venue, the Camille Chamoun Stadium in Beirut, into a displacement center. On Monday, families ‌sifted through boxes of donated clothes, pulling out coats and sweaters to help them bear the cold weather. Tents have gone ‌up across the city. 

"We hope this crisis doesn't last," Naji Hammoud, the director general of Lebanon's sports facilities, told Reuters. 

More than 1 million people were forced to flee their homes in Lebanon during a war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2024. 

ISRAEL UNAWARE OF CLASH REPORTED BY HEZBOLLAH IN EAST 

Hezbollah announced attacks including a rocket salvo targeting the town of Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel, and a rocket attack on a gathering ‌of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in south Lebanon near the village of al-Adaisseh. 

Air raid sirens sounded in Israeli towns and villages near the border on Monday, sending people fleeing ⁠to their shelters. There were no ⁠reports of casualties. 

The Israeli military said it was unaware of any clash with Hezbollah fighters in eastern Lebanon, after the group said it had fought Israeli soldiers approaching from Syria. 

Hezbollah said in a statement its fighters had observed 15 helicopters flying over eastern Lebanon just after midnight, saying they dropped Israeli troops who then approached Lebanese territory. 

Reuters was unable to immediately verify Hezbollah's account. 

The Israeli military carried out an airborne raid in the same area, near the village of Nabi Sheet, overnight into Saturday. Lebanon's Health Ministry said 41 people had been killed in Israeli attacks in the Nabi Sheet area. 

The Israeli military said that weekend raid was an operation to seek the remains of Ron Arad, an Israeli air force navigator missing in Lebanon since 1986, but no findings related to him were recovered. 

On Sunday, an Israeli drone strike hit a hotel in Beirut's seafront Rouche district. The Israeli military said the strike killed five senior commanders of what it described as the Lebanon Corps of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Quds Force. 

The Israeli military has sent more troops into southern Lebanon since the start of the war, establishing what it described as forward defensive positions to guard against Hezbollah attacks into Israel. 

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Arab World

Wave of Apologies Prompts Reappraisal of Kadhimi's Government in Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)
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Wave of Apologies Prompts Reappraisal of Kadhimi's Government in Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)

After years of facing political and media accusations of corruption, former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is witnessing an unusual development in Iraq’s political scene: a wave of public apologies from media and political figures who had accused him and his government of corruption or helped promote those allegations.

The apologies came after a "legal battle" that ended with court rulings in Kadhimi’s favor in several lawsuits he filed against his accusers, after the judiciary concluded that no evidence had been presented to substantiate the allegations against him. The rulings have reopened debate over his government’s record, coinciding with a broad anti-corruption campaign led by Iraq’s current government.

In the years following his departure from office, Kadhimi faced a widespread campaign accusing his government of involvement in corruption and mismanagement. The campaign included political figures, media personalities and social media activists.

Those close to Kadhimi, however, argued that much of the campaign was an extension of the political struggle that accompanied the transfer of power rather than being based on fully substantiated judicial cases.

“Legal battle”

Kadhimi’s lawyer, Amir al-Daami, said the defense team turned to the courts after what he described as a surge in direct accusations linking Kadhimi and his government to corruption without evidence.

He said the “fair legal battle,” as he called it, “ended with justice for the former prime minister,” adding that “the judiciary treated those cases as direct criminal accusations, not merely political opinions or expressions of positions.”

“All those who were sued were unable to prove what they attributed to Kadhimi, leading to court rulings in his favor,” Daami told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said the judiciary “drew a line between the right to political criticism and making corruption accusations without legal basis.”

The issue did not stop at court rulings. It also led some of Kadhimi’s most prominent critics to publicly reassess their positions.

Journalists, politicians and former lawmakers have apologized to the former prime minister, saying they “were wrong to treat circulated accusations as facts without possessing conclusive evidence,” according to recent statements.

Journalist Iyad al-Samawi, once one of Kadhimi’s fiercest opponents, said: “The facts that emerged prompted him to review his position, and fairness requires admitting error when facts change.”

He said, “Political disagreement should not lead to adopting accusations without proof.”

Observers say the apologies, whether they grow or remain limited, point to a shift in how Kadhimi’s time in office is being judged, especially after a legal process ended without specific accusations being proven in court. Others described the apologies as “a wave of changes and a new political mood in the country.”

A source close to the former prime minister told Asharq Al-Awsat that “more than 14 Iraqi figures” have so far reviewed their positions on Kadhimi and apologized to him.

Kadhimi took office at one of the most difficult moments in Iraq’s modern history. He came to power amid mass protests, an economic crisis, the broad influence of armed factions and the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his term, his home was targeted in a drone assassination attempt. The Green Zone also saw demonstrations by armed factions that reached the perimeter of the government palace, reflecting the intensity of political polarization in the country at the time.

Supporters of Kadhimi’s government say it managed a sensitive transitional phase. They also say the state benefited from the Emergency Support for Food Security and Development Law, which provided major financial resources to cover spending when passing the general budget was not possible.

Some observers say those resources gave the following government financial room to maneuver. Kadhimi’s critics, however, say any assessment of that period should remain tied to a broader review of the economic and administrative policies his government pursued at the time.

Al-Zaidi and the corruption campaign

The debate comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi leads a broad anti-corruption campaign, during which he has repeatedly said he is prepared to pay with his life to continue on this path.

The campaign has reached senior officials and opened files described as among the most sensitive in years, amid public calls for investigations to continue without political or partisan considerations.

Al-Zaidi’s government is facing mounting political pressure as the investigations widen.

A drone spotted near the government palace in Baghdad has drawn wide attention. Security authorities said they handled the incident without incurring losses.

But an informed political source told Asharq Al-Awsat that some circles interpreted it as a warning from parties harmed by the anti-corruption campaign. There has been no official confirmation of that interpretation.

Sadrist movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr on Friday affirmed “the firmness of his position on reform and fighting corruption,” declaring full support for the government’s reform campaign while warning against targeting “reformers,” in a reference to al-Zaidi.

Al-Zaidi has appeared among citizens in a Baghdad shopping center in recent days, a move observers saw as an attempt to underscore his reliance on public support.

He has also repeatedly said he does not intend to establish a political party or run in the next elections, reinforcing the image of his campaign as a government project rather than an electoral one.

Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Political Thinking Center, told Asharq Al-Awsat that any future settlements in corruption cases should remain within legal frameworks and differ from the political deals seen in previous stages.

He said recovering funds and holding those involved accountable should take place under the law and after all those responsible are exposed, not through political understandings.

Arab World

Israeli Army Measures in South Lebanon Restrict UNIFIL Movement

A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
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Israeli Army Measures in South Lebanon Restrict UNIFIL Movement

A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)

Restrictions are tightening on the movement of UNIFIL peacekeepers still deployed in southern Lebanon, as their mandate is set to end at the close of this year.

Israeli military measures inside a security zone set up along the Lebanese border, stretching more than 10 km into Lebanese territory, have sharply reduced the force’s movement and left residents of three Christian villages trapped inside.

Multiple sources said Israeli forces last Wednesday moved gates that had stood at the border fence into Lebanese territory, placing them at forward points inside the security zone. It was the first practical step of its kind since 2000.

At that time, after withdrawing from southern Lebanon, the Israeli army moved the gates to the border fence and reinforced them in 2018 with concrete walls along large sections of the frontier.

The gates were later opened when Israeli forces began pushing into Lebanese territory in October 2024 during the expanded war with Hezbollah.

Restrictions squeeze UNIFIL movement

UNIFIL’s area of operations covers southern Lebanon, specifically the zone between the Litani River in the north and the Blue Line in the south along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Dany Ghafari, UNIFIL’s spokesperson in Lebanon, said that “since March 2, 2026, the date the latest round of fighting broke out between Israel and Hezbollah, UNIFIL soldiers have often faced restrictions on their movement across large parts of their area of operations because of road closures, checkpoints and other measures, forcing some patrols to be suspended or delayed.”

“Despite these challenges, peacekeepers continue their work on the ground, monitoring the situation and reporting observed violations in line with Resolution 1701,” he said. “They also help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to residents who need it most.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ghafari said all parties must be reminded that they are required to “respect the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols, logistical convoys and operational activities, because any restrictions imposed on them are a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”

He said the parties must also “meet their obligations to ensure the safety of these forces and UN property.”

No withdrawal from positions

Ghafari said UNIFIL remains at all its positions inside its area of operations and along the Blue Line.

He said the force is “doing what it can under the current conditions, monitoring developments on the ground, reporting them to the Security Council with full impartiality, securing access for humanitarian aid convoys and facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations.”

UNIFIL currently has about 7,500 troops from 47 countries.

Ghafari said coordination with the Lebanese army is “close, continuous and round-the-clock.”

“We carry out joint activities on land and at sea. The army is our strategic partner in implementing Resolution 1701,” he said.

“Through the liaison and coordination mechanism, UNIFIL communicates with Lebanon and Israel to contain tensions, prevent misunderstandings, and exchange information.”

In early June, a Serbian UNIFIL soldier was killed after shells landed on his position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon, making him the seventh member of the international force to die since March.

A replacement coalition

The force is preparing to leave Lebanon after a presence dating back to the 1970s, following a UN Security Council decision adopted on Aug. 28, 2025.

The decision called for “reducing UNIFIL’s strength and withdrawing it in an orderly and safe manner starting on that date and within one year.”

Washington and Tel Aviv pushed for the decision, arguing that the force had proved ineffective. It had not prevented renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, nor had it guaranteed that the border area would become free of weapons and armed groups.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently announced during a summit in Antibes that France and Italy intend to form a multinational “coalition” after UNIFIL’s mandate ends, with the aim of strengthening “Lebanon’s sovereignty.”

France’s Foreign Ministry told Al Hadath television that the multinational force would deploy in southern Lebanon with US support and the participation of several European countries.

It said the deployment would come at the request of the Lebanese authorities and would aim to support the Lebanese army in carrying out its duties and strengthening stability.

A force outside the United Nations

Sami Nader, director of the Mashreq Center for Strategic Affairs, said there is “a European will not to leave southern Lebanon without international forces.

But at the same time, a new experience similar to UNIFIL would not be viable, because it failed to stop the war and acted more like a cover for Hezbollah to expand and build its capabilities. It also failed to deter Israeli attacks.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Nader said that “any international force must have new and different tasks. For that reason, we rule out it being under the UN umbrella.”

He said he expected the formation of “an international force to support the army in implementing government decisions and the framework agreement, especially since its fourth clause paved the way for that by noting Lebanon’s request for support from the international community.”

Arab World

Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force Clashes with Faction in Baghdad, Oil Smugglers Arrested

An Iraqi security personnel stands guard along a street in Baghdad on June 28, 2026. (AFP)
An Iraqi security personnel stands guard along a street in Baghdad on June 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force Clashes with Faction in Baghdad, Oil Smugglers Arrested

An Iraqi security personnel stands guard along a street in Baghdad on June 28, 2026. (AFP)
An Iraqi security personnel stands guard along a street in Baghdad on June 28, 2026. (AFP)

An Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service force carried out a pre-dawn operation on Friday in Dora, south of Baghdad, targeting a farm believed to be under the control of an armed faction and triggering a firefight between the two sides, Iraqi security sources said.

The sources said the farm belonged to an Iraqi citizen, but preliminary information indicated that control of it had passed to one of the armed factions active in the area. The full circumstances of the operation were still unclear.

A source familiar with the matter said the operation may have been limited to retaking the farm from an armed group that had refused, according to the source, to hand over its weapons to government authorities.

Other unconfirmed information suggested the raid may have targeted a leader from one of the factions operating under the Popular Mobilization Forces.

The source described the operation as the “first of its kind” since the launch on Sunday of a campaign known as “Dawn Assault.” It noted the possibility of tensions between the Counter-Terrorism Service, which has led arrests in recent days, and an armed formation.

The source explained that the operation could test the balance of power between the two sides.

Iraqi authorities have not issued an official statement clarifying the nature or outcome of the operation.

In a related development, a security source said five people were arrested in a special operation in the same area near in Dora.

The source said the detainees were accused of seizing land. Other sources said arrests linked to an oil-smuggling case targeted wanted individuals connected to people detained last Sunday.

Local reports, citing security sources, said Thursday night into Friday saw arrests in Baghdad, Maysan, and Salahuddin of suspects accused of “corruption,” as well as clashes with people accused of oil smuggling from an armed faction linked to Iran.

“A number of the detainees are relatives of people being held for questioning over corruption suspicions arising from oil smuggling,” sources said.

Anti-corruption drive expands

Meanwhile, thousands of followers of influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ralied to “support the government’s efforts to pursue the corrupt.”

In a unified address read after Friday prayers in several Iraqi provinces, Sadr said: “We have been and remain advocates of reform, and we do not gather with the corrupt.”

“You have been and remain with me in hardship and ease. Let us continue our path in support of reform and the new reform campaign whose light has begun to shine through our Iraq,” he urged.

Addressing his supporters, he said: “Rise for a peaceful stand that supports reform and the soldier of reform, our brother Ali al-Zaidi, the Iraqi prime minister, to strengthen his resolve and weaken the resolve of the corrupt, who are trying to pressure him and deter him from the brave and fruitful raids that have terrified and disturbed many inside and outside the country.”

Separately, a statement from al-Zaidi's office said he chaired a security and economic meeting attended by security and oversight chiefs.

He ordered anti-corruption measures expanded to all state institutions without exception and called for stronger coordination between law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies to track suspects and recover public funds.

The prime minister reiterated that the government would continue implementing its reform program, pursuing those involved in corruption cases and referring them to the judiciary, while adopting preventive measures to strengthen oversight bodies.