As Israeli strikes continue in Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, the human and material toll grows heavier. The cost of the “war of support” for Hamas, which Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into, is staggering: more than 5,000 dead, hundreds of thousands displaced, and economic losses estimated at over $14 billion. A return to calm remains uncertain, hindered by political tensions and repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement signed on November 27, 2024.
An Increasing Human Toll
Nearly a year after the start of the war, triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Lebanon continued to pay a steep price. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, more than 4,047 people were killed and 16,638 were injured between October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah opened the southern front, and the ceasefire.
In the months following the ceasefire, another 270 people were killed and 540 were injured in renewed Israeli attacks between November 27, 2024, and September 19, 2025,
However, official figures do not fully reflect the scope of the human losses. Citing official sources, Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat reported that many bodies remain buried under the rubble, and the total death toll since the start of the war is now believed to have exceeded 5,000.
The Uncertain Fate of Prisoners
According to Lebanon’s Committee for the Defense of Detainees in Israel, also cited by Asharq al-Awsat, 19 Lebanese are currently held by Israel, of whom only six are believed to be Hezbollah members; the rest, it says, are civilians. Hezbollah-affiliated media outlets claim that 65 members of the group are missing. However, some may have been killed.
Large-Scale Destruction
The scale of destruction is unprecedented. Lebanese authorities estimate total losses between $12 and $14 billion, figures corroborated by the World Bank.
Furthermore, according to Information International, cited by Asharq al-Awsat, damage to residential buildings alone amounts to at least $9 billion. This figure was put forward in December 2024. Direct and indirect losses that include infrastructure, agriculture, industry, and commerce would amount to $11.2 billion, according to the same sources. Damaged infrastructure accounts for $700 million, and debris removal for $35 million.
To date, 317,000 homes have sustained minor or moderate damage, and 51,000 have been destroyed: 9,000 in the southern suburb of Beirut, 1,500 in the Bekaa Valley, and 22,000 in border areas. The intensification of strikes between November 27, 2024, and February 18, 2025, further aggravated the situation.
According to the South Council, by March 2025, 37,500 homes had been destroyed and 55,000 were severely damaged. The total number of homes affected in this region stands at 130,000.
Southern Lebanon Emptied of Its Inhabitants
The conflict has caused a mass exodus: more than 300,000 people have fled the affected areas, particularly southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, the southern suburb of Beirut, and parts of Mount Lebanon. Without reconstruction, many displaced people cannot return home.
According to official information reported by Asharq al-Awsat, only 10% of the inhabitants have returned to some border villages. Additionally, Information International estimates that around 100,000 inhabitants of the south are still displaced.
In the meantime, Israel’s violations of the ceasefire are increasing. The Lebanese army has counted more than 4,500 violations since November 2024. These include ground incursions, airspace violations, naval attacks, and air strikes, mostly targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure.
The army also denounces the use of Molotov cocktails and targeted strikes on homes.
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