BEIRUT: Intense Israeli attacks may have forced up to a million people to flee parts of Lebanon in possibly the worst displacement crisis in the tiny country鈥檚 history, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Sunday.
Mikati told reports that 鈥渢he estimated number is very high and may reach one million鈥� 鈥� which would amount to roughly a sixth of Lebanon鈥檚 population.
鈥淚t is the largest displacement movement that may have happened... in Lebanon,鈥� he said.
On Friday, Israel killed Hezbollah鈥檚 powerful leader Hassan Nasrallah in a move many fear risks destabilising Lebanon and the wider region.
Since Monday, intense Israeli attacks across Lebanon鈥檚 east, south and on southern Beirut have killed hundreds of people and forced many to flee their homes.
Earlier this week, UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said 鈥渨ell over 200,000 people are displaced inside Lebanon鈥� and more than 50,000 had fled to neighboring Syria.
The intensive strikes come as Israel shifted the focus of its operation from Gaza to Lebanon, after nearly a year of cross-border fire with Hezbollah over the Gaza war, with the group saying it is acting in support of ally Hamas.