Damage from Israel's aggression in 2024 vs. 2006: Lebanon's housing recovery faces major setbacks

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As Lebanon rings in a new year, the nation is haunted by the stark images of destruction caused by Israeli aggression, which has also laid bare a looming housing crisis far more severe than what followed in the July 2006 war. 

According to researcher Mohammad Shamseddine from the International Information Center, about 17,500 housing units were completely destroyed during the 2006 war. 

However, today, the number of units destroyed could reach as high as 45,000, according to the Jihad Al-Binaa Foundation, tasked with reconstruction and repair efforts.

In 2006, the cost of reconstruction was estimated at around $4 billion. This figure has since soared, with current estimates standing at $8 billion due to more than 200,000 homes being affected. 

Unlike in 2006, when international donors, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, France, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and international conferences quickly mobilized to help rebuild Lebanon's infrastructure, funding for this current reconstruction is limited. 

Furthermore, the circumstances in 2024 differ drastically from those in 2006. 

In 2006, Lebanon's economy was stable, with consistent financial inflows and citizens' savings easily accessible in the country's banks. Today, Lebanon is plagued by economic, financial, and political instability.

Shamseddine notes that the reconstruction process is slow, with compensation for damaged homes often falling short of covering the actual damage. 

Additionally, the compensation for homes that were destroyed entirely has yet to be determined, and the fate of the damage to commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties and vehicles remains unresolved.

Meanwhile, the Jihad Al-Binaa Foundation continues its damage assessment, with plans to return displaced residents to their homes based on a classification system that categorizes the damages into three levels: affected units, completely destroyed units, and units that have suffered severe structural damage, such as loss of essential components like columns and bridges.

Despite these efforts, Hezbollah maintains that people will eventually return to their homes, though the realities on the ground suggest that expectations may not align with the challenges ahead.