Lebanon’s latest war has taken a severe toll on children, with psychological distress, food insecurity, and disruptions to education persisting months after the November 2024 ceasefire, a UNICEF report warned on Friday.

The war forced thousands of children to flee their homes, damaged critical infrastructure, and left lasting physical and emotional scars across the country. A January 2025 survey by UNICEF found that 72 percent of parents reported their children experienced anxiety or nervousness during the conflict, while 62 percent observed signs of depression. These figures mark a significant increase from pre-war levels recorded in 2023.

Although 80 percent of parents said they had seen some improvement in their children’s mental health since the ceasefire, UNICEF cautioned that prolonged exposure to trauma could have lifelong consequences.

The report highlighted an alarming deterioration in children’s nutrition, particularly in the Baalbeck-Hermel and Bekaa governorates, areas heavily targeted by air strikes.

In Baalbeck-Hermel, 51 percent of children under the age of two are experiencing severe food poverty, while in Bekaa, the rate has surged to 45 percent from 28 percent in 2023. UNICEF defines severe food poverty as consuming two or fewer of eight essential food groups. The organization warned that poor nutrition and insufficient meal frequency could lead to stunted growth, cognitive impairments, and life-threatening malnutrition.

Moreover, Lebanon’s education system, already crippled by years of economic hardship, teacher strikes, and the COVID-19 pandemic, suffered further devastation during the conflict. Schools were destroyed or severely damaged, while hundreds were used as shelters for some of the 1.3 million internally displaced people.

Prior to the war, over 500,000 children were already out of school. With the destruction of educational facilities and the continued displacement of families, access to education has become even more precarious.

With the crisis continuing to unfold, UNICEF has called for urgent international assistance to support Lebanon’s children. The organization has appealed for $658.2 million in 2025 to provide lifesaving aid to 2.4 million people across the country.

“This is a critical moment for Lebanon’s children,” UNICEF said in its report. “Without sustained support, the long-term impact of this crisis will be devastating.”