Assessment of war damages in southern Lebanon and EU diplomatic response

A joint report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research estimates the direct cost of damage to buildings in southern Lebanon at $1.38 billion. The assessment, covering the period from October 2025 to April 2026, identifies the total destruction of 11,095 buildings, which affected 17,891 housing units. Lebanese Health Ministry data reports that since March 2, 2026, the conflict has resulted in 4,106 deaths, 12,153 injuries, and over one million displaced persons. Meanwhile, the European Union has condemned recent remarks by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for the destruction of Lebanon. European Commission spokesperson Anouar el-Anouni stated that EU foreign ministers discussed potential sanctions against the official, though no consensus was reached. The EU reiterated its call for Israel to respect Lebanese sovereignty and comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The figures provided by the UNDP were derived from satellite imagery comparisons conducted between October 2025 and late April 2026.