Aid groups have raised alarm about the worsening humanitarian situation in Lebanon amid weeks of Israeli air strikes in the country’s south, eastern Bekaa Valley, and Beirut metropolitan area.

More than 1 million civilians have been displaced across Lebanon so far in what its Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called "the largest displacement that may have happened".

Kirsten Sayers, interim CEO at Caritas Australia, says a full-scale war could induce an inflationary spiral in an already dire economic situation.

"If we look at past events that that have disrupted the supply of necessities in Lebanon – the Beirut blast, the invasion of Ukraine, COVID-19 – all these events have further increased inflation," she said.

“It is entirely feasible that worsening conflict with Israel would have the same effect, as it would result in the destruction of critical infrastructure such as roads, and potentially make it hard for commercial companies and even aid organisations to get goods across borders.”

According to the European Union, an estimated 80 per cent of the Lebanese population lives in poverty. Lebanon also hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world.

“This is not a population that can withstand a war and protect innocent lives throughout.”