Beirut, Lebanon – As violence escalates in southern Lebanon and airstrikes expand to new areas, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is scaling up our operations to support internally displaced people fleeing the south and seeking shelter in Beirut and other parts of the country.

In the past 48 hours alone, thousands of people have been forced to evacuate southern Lebanon, creating massive traffic congestion and leaving families stranded for hours without access to food or water. 

WCK teams immediately mobilized to respond—first distributing food and water to families stuck on the roads, and then rapidly expanding kitchen operations in safer areas.

Due to security concerns, WCK closed three kitchens located in high-risk zones. At the same time, we opened five new kitchens over the past two days. WCK is now operating nine kitchens across Lebanon, including four in Beirut. Our team is currently producing approximately 20,000 meals per day, prioritizing families sheltering in schools and informal displacement centers.

Chef Aline Kamakian, who is leading WCK’s response in Lebanon, says:

“Many of the families arriving in Beirut today have already been displaced once—some even twice—in the past year and a half. They fled their homes in the south when the violence first escalated and tried to return when things seemed calmer, only to find entire neighborhoods damaged or destroyed—reduced to vast, empty fields of rubble. And now, they are running once again.

“In Beirut, many families have also lost their homes in recent days, and the shelters are already full. Government schools have been converted into temporary shelters, but they are not equipped for this scale of displacement—there aren’t enough beds, supplies, or even basic infrastructure. People left in a hurry with whatever they could carry.

“Our job at World Central Kitchen is to make sure that wherever they arrive, there is at least a hot meal waiting for them. We are working closely with municipalities and local partners to reach the families who need it most, as quickly and as consistently as possible.”

In observance of Ramadan, WCK is providing Iftar meals including soup or salad, dates to break the fast, and traditional Lebanese stews with rice, bulgur, lentils, beans, chicken, or meat. Lunch distributions also continue for Christian communities and others not observing Ramadan.

For more information or media enquiries, please contact:  

Roberta Alves, Director of Media Relations at ralves@worldcentralkitchen.org or +1 202.400.7483

Our full media team is reachable at press@wck.org