Losses linked to the war with Israel have already reached almost double those of 2006, according to Information International

The damage that has occurred in Lebanon since October 8, 2023, the date of the start of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, is estimated at nearly $10 billion so far, according to a study recently published by the Information International (II) firm. Figures which could be revised upwards, as the conflict is still ongoing.

The data provided by the center is divided into two parts and takes into account the intensification of Israeli operations from September 17, 2024, the date of the so-called “beeper” attack. He estimates the damage caused since that date and until the end of October to be $7 billion, compared to nearly $3 billion between October 8, 2023 and September 16, 2024.

Furthermore, since October 8, 2023, 178 rescue workers have been killed and 279 others injured. 189,174 displaced people are housed in reception centers, including 43,766 families. At the same time, 530,737 people fled to Syria, including 358,133 Syrians and 172,604 Lebanese. 120,000 people fled to other countries, recalls II.

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According to the study, the losses generated therefore already represent almost double those of the July 2006 war between the Shiite party and the Jewish state, estimated in 2006 at 5.3 billion dollars. And in detail, this gap between the two conflicts is obvious at almost all levels, with the exception of the damage to infrastructure, which is much less targeted than during the previous conflict.

The heaviest bill concerns homes, with 4.26 billion dollars in losses – including 3.850 billion since September 17, with 36,000 houses completely destroyed, 22,000 partially destroyed and 120,000 slightly damaged during this period alone – , almost double that of July 2006 (2.2 billion). Then follow agriculture and the environment with 900 million dollars in losses (including 650 million since September 17, 2024), compared to 450 million dollars in 2006; infrastructure, with 570 million dollars in losses (including 520 million since September 17), compared to 900 million in 2006; commerce and industry with 470 million dollars (including 350 million since September 17), the same amount as in 2006.

Finally, to this sectoral damage are added the indirect losses linked to the decline in economic activities which are estimated at 30 million per day since September 17 (compared to 8 million per day during the previous period) and bring the total to 3 .38 billion dollars since the start of the conflict, or a little more than a third of the total bill and almost three times the amount of indirect losses recorded in 2006. Finally, there remain the costs linked to clearance and other tasks. emergency, estimated at 390 million dollars (320 million since September 17), compared to 50 million dollars in 2006.