Blogs
March 15, 2026 • 4 min read
by Colin Lee, GOAL's Director of Programmes and Operations
‘Resilience’ is an overused term in Lebanon. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7th, 2023, the country has once more been dragged into a war its people do not want. Now a second front in the conflict, death and destruction continue on a daily basis. State infrastructure is under threat, and no place is safe from the constant bombardment. The war is now impacting every citizen in the country.
GOAL has a long history of working in the Middle East and has proudly supported the people of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Iraq over many years. Our teams have been monitoring the protests in Iran since last year and prepared contingency plans for any mass movement out of the country towards its many neighbouring borders. The scale, intensity and spread of the conflict has been unprecedented.
Refugee Crisis
GOAL teams are stationed along the Iranian border in Türkiye and Iraq, monitoring cross-border movements. With internet access cut off by the regime in Tehran, information from within Iran is difficult to verify but crucial state infrastructure such as electricity and water has been heavily impacted. Families who have managed to flee the major cities of Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran have found shelter with friends and relatives in smaller towns and villages. The bulk of the population remain stuck inside heavily policed cities.
A highly educated population, many Iranians have left the country over the past decade and sought refuge in the west. Health systems in various European countries have been propped up with the expertise of their doctors and surgeons. Ireland has benefited greatly from the Iranian diaspora. Communities who have played a crucial role in our economy.
We have seen before what happens when large populations are forced to move across borders. Iran’s population of 92 million people is twice that of Iraq and four times that of Syria. In 2016 the world watched as over one million Syrian refugees made their long walk into the heart of Europe. A similar crisis involving Iran would be on an entirely different scale.
Lebanon itself has hosted thousands of families fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria, all while grappling with its own political instability and economic collapse. The country has a population of just over five million people, roughly the same as Ireland. Yet more than a million Syrians have crossed the border in search of safety over the past decade. To picture the scale, imagine every man, woman and child in Liverpool and Manchester suddenly arriving in Ireland looking for refuge. For a country of its size, Lebanon has carried a heavy burden for many years.
Having spent 14 years of my life in Lebanon covering the Middle East, and with family still based in Beirut, the pain and suffering is very real. Daily calls are a lifeline. It has been clear from the bombardment that no place is safe. Fear is spreading as sectarian tensions continue to simmer beneath the surface.
A long history of support
Ireland’s connection with Lebanon runs deep. For decades, Irish peacekeepers have served along the Blue Line, based at Camp Shamrock in the south of the country. Their professionalism and sacrifice have earned enormous respect locally. At a time when many governments are reducing aid budgets, Ireland has largely maintained its humanitarian support through Irish Aid, enabling organisations such as GOAL to continue working on the ground in fragile regions. With our Presidency of the EU in July, there is no doubt Ireland will continue to play its part in a region once more caught in the crosshairs of global conflict. Over our 50-year history, GOAL has always been on the frontlines supporting those in need and will do so once again.
We, as a humanitarian community, have learnt lessons from Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. GOAL played a significant role in each country during the height of conflict. It is far easier to act early than to wait. The region deserves better.
With no end in sight to the war, the long-term impact is being felt not just in the region but also in Europe and beyond. It will get worse but we must act together now.
GOAL has launched an emergency appeal to support families fleeing the conflict. Please give what you can today to help provide lifesaving support.
