7,200 Syrians Flee Lebanon in 24 Hours as Israeli Strikes Trigger Mass Exodus, UNHCR Confirms
Beirut, March 6, 2026 – A sudden wave of panic has driven over 7,200 Syrian refugees to cross into war-torn Syria within the past 24 hours, according to exclusive UNHCR data released this morning. This staggering exodus – a 300% spike over weekly averages – follows Tuesday's Israeli airstrike near Beirut's Wavel military airport, which struck a civilian apartment building housing Syrian families late on March 5.
Israeli Defense Forces confirmed the March 5 strike at 8:32 PM local time, stating it targeted "Hezbollah infrastructure," but Lebanese Red Cross officials verified four Syrian refugees, including two children, were killed in the residential building collapse. "We're seeing entire neighborhoods of Syrian refugees boarding buses to Syria within hours," said UNHCR spokesperson Aya Majzoub in a Beirut emergency briefing today. "They fear being caught in crossfire or targeted as 'collateral' in escalating strikes."
Damascus has accelerated border processing, with state media (SANA) reporting "thousands" admitted under "humanitarian corridor" protocols without pre-registration – a sharp shift from past resistance. Syrian refugee Abu Khaled, who crossed at Masnaa border today, told AFP: "We survived war in Syria, but Lebanon is now hell. No food, no work, and bombs falling while the world ignores us." Security sources confirm Lebanese Army units are not intercepting refugee convoys, signaling tacit approval of the reverse migration as tensions with Israel surge.
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