Hospitals in southern Lebanon operate against all odds as medical staff face bombed infrastructure and scarce supplies

On the 17th day of Israel’s resumed war on Lebanon, which began on 2 March 2026, hospitals are under severe strain as Israeli strikes destroy buildings, including a 10-storey structure near a city centre, and have killed medical staff, while the war has displaced nearly one million people.

Despite the dangers, hospitals in the South and Bekaa governorates continue to operate, even as the ongoing war and lack of external support strain resources and personnel, raising questions about how long they can maintain services.

As for Beirut’s southern suburbs, several hospitals evacuated patients following Israeli warnings, resulting in the deaths of two, while the Israeli army continued targeting the health sector, claiming ambulances were being used by Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, in the southern city of Tyre, hospitals are functioning close to normal capacity, even though most residents have left the area.

Ibrahim Faraj, a doctor at the Lebanese Italian Hospital, said the situation “resembles what it was during the Israeli war in 2024.” He added that “there is no actual surge in the number of wounded, and stocks are sufficient, as most citizens have left the area, with only about 20% of the population remaining.”

Ibrahim explained that dialysis schedules remain on track, and patients have not been transferred to Sidon. “Several nursing staff and workers have been displaced, but there are always doctors and nurses present,” he said.

He added, “I rule out evacuating hospitals at this stage, especially as many elderly people remain in the area. We will remain as long as there are citizens here, but we hope not to receive a large number of wounded.”

Emergency care strains

Nearby, Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil has been designated for initial emergency operations before patients are transferred to Tyre. The hospital near the border villages continues to function with minimal disruption, according to its director, Dr Ali Shalloub, who said, “The hospital is fine.”

Tebnin Governmental Hospital, also in Bint Jbeil, is focusing on emergencies, surgery, and intensive care.

Its director, Dr Mohammed Hammadi, said: “We have only six patients, and stocks of primary medical materials are secured for three months.”

He added that the hospital remains in contact with the Ministry of Public Health and the International Committee of the Red Cross to ensure supplies are replenished if needed.

At Hiram Hospital in Tyre, the focus has shifted almost entirely to treating war casualties, with only 10% of departments serving local residents who have not fled.

Director Dr Salman Eidibi said that “available materials are sufficient for two to three weeks,” but he added that the hospital, which normally employs 250 staff, is now operating with about 100, including doctors, nurses, and support workers.

In Nabatieh, the three hospitals are dealing solely with war casualties and facing acute shortages of staff and equipment.

Mona Abu Zeid, director of Al-Najda Al-Shaabiya Hospital, said that “the emergency plan has remained active since the previous Israeli war.”

She added: “Since the ceasefire agreement in November 2024, the area has been receiving wounded from ongoing Israeli strikes, and after the phosphorus shelling in southern Lebanon, we trained with international bodies to treat burns and continue to follow the same plan.”

Mona warned that “fuel shortages are a major threat, with stocks sufficient for only three weeks if supplies do not arrive. There are also shortages of ICU supplies, such as oxygen, and we are short on staff. We currently have only ten doctors, and the number of nurses stands at 49, down from 120.”

Despite the risks, evacuation is not being considered. Mona said, “We live day by day and assess the situation in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health, but we face a treacherous enemy that considers hospitals a military target.”

Mona also notes that Al-Najda Al-Shaabiya Hospital has effectively become a field hospital. Operations are now limited to the emergency and intensive care departments, while initial surgeries are performed before patients are transferred to hospitals in Sidon and Beirut. Dialysis patients have also been relocated to other facilities.

'We have a humanitarian duty'

Nabatieh Governmental Hospital has similarly evacuated non-emergency cases. Director Dr Hassan Wazneh said: “Cancer patients and dialysis patients were transferred to Sidon and Beirut, while injuries have increased due to Israeli air raids. Most receive the necessary surgeries before being sent to the capital, especially children, who go to the American University of Beirut Hospital.”

Dr Hassan added: “We coordinate constantly with Al-Najda Al-Shaabiya Hospital, and all doctors move between the two hospitals, but we share just three anaesthetists, which makes it difficult.”

He also raised concerns about fuel, noting: “Current stock is sufficient for 12 days, and we fear fuel station owners may stop supplying us.”

In eastern Lebanon, hospitals face similar pressures. Dar Al-Amal University Hospital in Douris continues to operate despite threats of evacuation.

Director Dr Mohammed Allam said, “We have 70 patients dependent on medical devices or in intensive care, and we cannot risk their lives. If we evacuate, many will die.”

Staff shortages are acute, he added, with “the hospital employing 700 nurses and workers, but only 110 remain.”

Baalbek Governmental Hospital has also refused to evacuate. Director Dr Abbas Shukr described it as “a recipe for suicide,” explaining that “we are responsible for patients, providing free services during the war, but we fear shortages of medical supplies and medicines. Fuel supplies are enough for only a few days.”

As for Rayak Hospital in Zahle, Bekaa, it has been receiving large numbers of casualties. Director Dr Mohammed Abdullah said: ‘The hospital received 75 wounded and 46 killed in recent days. All wounded are treated at the expense of the Ministry of Health, which delays payments.”

He added, “Basic materials have risen in price, and fuel station owners demand insurance costs to deliver supplies. Materials and fuel are sufficient for only two weeks. This situation is more difficult than in the 2024 war. International institutions once provided donations, but today no one is offering assistance.”

Dr Mohammed said the hospital has also become a shelter for staff, explaining, “Doctors and nurses sleep here because roads are unsafe. We have over 250 staff and nurses who need food and basic needs. We cannot evacuate under any circumstances; we have a humanitarian duty.”

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.