Nearly 750,000 displaced in Lebanon as West Asia crisis escalates

• India joined 29 other UN Member States to express deep alarm at the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon.

• The troop-contributing countries to the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL), joined by several other member states condemned Hezbollah’s “reckless decision” to join the Iranian attacks against Israel since March 2, dragging Lebanon in a war.

• The countries urged Israel to abstain from attacks against civilian infrastructure and heavily populated areas and to respect the Lebanese sovereignty and its territorial integrity.

• The UNIFIL remains on the ground implementing its mandate “as far as the security circumstances allow”. 

• Hezbollah has carried out daily strikes across the Blue Line, and Israeli forces have intensified strikes and issued displacement orders across UNIFIL’s area.

• UNIFIL has reported some 4,120 trajectories and 323 air attacks by the Israel Defence Forces, and peacekeepers themselves have come under threat.

• As of February 2026, UNIFIL’s force consists of 7,538 peacekeepers from 48 troop-contributing countries, including 642 personnel from India, the fourth highest after Italy (784), Indonesia (756) and Spain (660). 

• The countries called on parties to urgently return to the cessation of hostilities arrangement and respect the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006).

What is the situation in Lebanon?

• Since March 2, over 570 people are reported killed, and over 1,400 injured.

• Mass displacement is accelerating, with over 750,000 people now registered as on the move.

• Schools have been forced to close as temporary shelters, disrupting learning for tens of thousands of children. 

• The UN and its partners have distributed 500,000 hot meals and 270,000 litres of bottled water. 

What is the history of ‘Blue Line’?

• Following an invasion by Israeli forces into Lebanon, the UN Security Council, in March 1978, established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandating it to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Lebanese government to restore its effective authority in the area. 

• In June 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon for the second time and subsequently established a security zone inside the country, which remained until its withdrawal in 2000.

• In 1985, Israel partially withdrew its forces from Lebanon, but retained control of an area in southern Lebanon controlled by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Lebanese De Facto Forces (DFF).

• On April 17, 2000, the government of Israel notified the UN Secretary-General that it would withdraw its forces from Lebanon by July 2000. 

• In preparation of the withdrawal of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) from Lebanon, the UN identified the ‘Line of Withdrawal’, or so-called ‘Blue Line’, largely conforming to the internationally recognised boundaries of Lebanon. 

• The United Nations established this Line in June 2000 for the sole purpose of confirming the full withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanese territory. 

• The Line is described as the best approximation of the 1923 Boundary Line and the 1949 Armistice Demarcation Line. It does not in any way represent an international border and is without prejudice to any future border arrangements between Lebanon and Israel. The Line is 120 km long.

• Until July 2006, despite numerous violations of the Line of Withdrawal, as well as sea and air violations, and occasional breaches of the ceasefire, the situation in the area remained relatively calm. 

• On July 12, 2006, war broke out between Israel and Lebanon after Hezbollah had carried out an attack on an IDF patrol, kidnapping two IDF soldiers and killing three others. 

• On August 11, 2006, the Security Council adopted resolution 1701 (2006), which ended the war and in which the Council decided to enlarge UNIFIL (to a maximum of 15,000 troops) and enhance its mandate.

• UNIFIL headquarters is located in Naqoura. The area of operations extends from the Blue Line in the south to the Litani River in the north and is divided into two sectors, East and West. 

• The mandate for the operation is renewed annually by the 15-member UN Security Council.

• In August 2025, the UNSC extended the UN peacekeeping mission which patrols the so-called Blue Line of separation between Israel and Lebanon “for a final time” till December 31, 2026.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)