WFP / LEBANON FOOD ASSISTANCE

WFP has been scaling up food and cash assistance as conflict escalates in Lebanon. Displacement across the country continues to grow. Within just a few hours of the first shelters opening, WFP was on the ground providing food assistance to families. WFP is also working with the Government to scale-up cash assistance to people forced to flee. WFP

• Video Length: 00:02:07
• Production Date: 9 March 2026
• Asset Language: English; Arabic
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: FOOD DISTRIBUTION
• Geographic Subject: LEBANON
• MAMS Id: 3541979
• Parent Id: 3541979
• Alternate Title: unifeed260309e

Description

STORY: WFP / LEBANON FOOD ASSISTANCE
TRT: 02:07
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: CREDIT WFP ON SCREEN
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 06, 07, 09 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON

Shotlist

09 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON

1. Various shots, destruction
The recent escalation of conflict in Lebanon has led to mass displacement with families forced to flee with little notice.

06 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON

2. Various shots, displaced families 
As of 9 March, more than 120,000 people are in shelters, and government figures put the total number of displaced at over half a million. Many have fled to stay with family or friends, while others have been forced to sleep on the streets. 
3. Various shots, temporary shelter 
Closed schools have been turned into temporary shelters for Internally Displaced People (IDPs). Families set up tents, blankets, and clothing to create a sense of privacy. Many people arrived with very few belongings and continue to adapt to difficult conditions while sharing crowded spaces. 
4. Various shots, Hanadi in a classroom
The classroom that is now her new home. In the last 2 years she has been displaced twice. 
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hanadi, displaced person: 
“I brought nothing with me. When the bombing happens, you can’t think—you just evacuate as you are. I left my house barefoot with my daughter.” 
6. Various shots, WFP hot meals distribution at Jamil Rawas Official Boys’ School
Hot meals and ready-to-eat rations have been providing immediate food relief to families forced to flee with nothing. Families in Lebanon had already been struggling following years of compounding crises - economic collapse, conflict, and over stretched public institutions – with household savings and coping capacities exhausted. This latest escalation leaves them vulnerable to slipping deeper into food insecurity, making immediate food relief critical.
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Anne Valand, WFP Lebanon Country Director:
“Being prepared for crises is part of WFP’s bread and butter. So, we were able to quickly activate both the food and the cash response. However, as needs continue to outpace our capacity to respond, we are in very urgent need of additional funding and support in order to continue to sustain the scale of the response in this current crisis.” 

07 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON

8. Various shots, families receive WFP hot meals in shelters
 As of 9 March, WFP has distributed 193,800 hot meals, 8,200 packs of bread and 4,400 ready to eat rations to nearly 50,000 people in 195 shelters across Lebanon since 2 March. WFP is also working with the Government of Lebanon to provide cash assistance to conflict-affected families, reaching more than 180,000 people.

Storyline

The total number of people displaced in Lebanon continues to rapidly increase and families are once again being forced to flee with little notice, which can have immediate humanitarian consequences.

Lebanon was already struggling following years of compounding crises - economic collapse, conflict, and over stretched public institutions - and families had already exhausted their savings and coping capacity. This latest escalation leaves them vulnerable to slipping deeper into food insecurity.

The latest IPC Acute Food Insecurity Analysis, released in December, showed 874,000 people — 17 percent of the analysed population — are experiencing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or worse). This is projected to rise to 961,000 people by mid-2026.

Nearly 120,000 people have been displaced to shelters due to the conflict and the recent evacuation notices on March 5th. Many others are with family and friends. The total number of displaced people including outside of shelters is likely to be much higher.

In coordination with local authorities, WFP is responding immediately and scaling-up lifesaving programmes. Within just a few hours of the first shelters opening, WFP began distributing hot meals, Ready-to-Eat rations and bread.

As of 9 March, WFP reached nearly 50,000 people in 195 shelters across Lebanon with food assistance, in collaboration with the Government of Lebanon, since 2 March. This includes 193,800 hot meals, 8,200 packs of bread and 4,400 ready to eat rations.

In parallel with emergency food assistance, WFP has activated emergency cash assistance in coordination with the Government of Lebanon for conflict-affected families through the national Shock-Responsive Social Safety Net. This enables rapid support to reach nearly 50,000 families – nearly 183,000 people - through the existing government system.