According to a report by Anadolu Agency on Monday, July 6, 2026, as the government of Lebanon continues to examine the impact of months of warfare and prepares for rehabilitation operations in affected districts, they have calculated that the direct material damage caused by Israel’s military campaign has reached $3 billion to $4 billion.
Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos made the announcement on Monday during a Cabinet meeting during which ministers discussed findings from recent field trips to the country’s south.
Morcos stated that the estimates are preliminary and only represent the direct physical damage to infrastructure and property, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).
A more thorough evaluation would probably put the total cost of the war much higher, Morcos said, adding that the current estimate does not account for broader economic losses, lost business activity, or other indirect costs stemming from the conflict. “The estimated direct material damage stands at between $3 billion and $4 billion,” he said.
According to the minister, government authorities deliberated ways to ease the return of displaced people to cities and villages in the south that were severely hit by the war.
Members of the cabinet also reviewed proposals to help local governments with the rebuilding of damaged areas, restore vital public services, and offer temporary shelter.
Before beginning massive rehabilitation projects, ministers stressed the need of helping small companies, agricultural producers, and municipal authorities to boost economies, according to Morcos.
Even though Israel and Lebanon reached a framework agreement on May 26 with US mediation, tensions are still high, prompting the damage assessment.
Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from Lebanese land in stages, according to the deal. However, Lebanese officials have consistently claimed that Israel is violating the agreement by carrying out military operations despite this.
Two communities in southern Lebanon were allegedly targeted by Israeli forces on Monday, who razed homes and set off controlled explosions. Lebanese officials have stated that the village of Houla, which is located in the Marjayoun area, saw further explosions overnight.
Israel had already agreed in principle to pull its forces out of Lebanon in accordance with the US-brokered deal. Nevertheless, a specific withdrawal date is not specified in the agreement.
The disarmament of non-state armed groups, such as Hezbollah, and the increased responsibility of the Lebanese Armed Forces for southern security are the conditions that will lead to additional retreats.
Officials in Lebanon have hailed the deal as a breakthrough that will pave the way for displaced families to return home securely and for the restoration of full state authority across the country’s territory.
On the other hand, Hezbollah has slammed the deal, calling it “null and void.” Any effort to tie Israel’s withdrawal to its disarming, the group claims, is untenable and goes against “all red lines.”
Lebanon has suffered a tremendous human and humanitarian cost as a result of the conflict. More than 4,300 people have been killed and nearly 12,000 others injured as a result of Israeli military actions since March 2, according to official numbers from Lebanon.
In addition to the lives lost, numerous towns will have to endure the long and expensive process of rebuilding after thousands of houses, businesses, roads, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure were destroyed to varied degrees.
Israeli forces are still occupying various areas in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. Israel had controlled some of these areas for decades, while the 2023–2024 war claimed others. During their most recent operation, Israeli forces reportedly moved almost 10 kilometres (6.2 mil es) into Lebanese territory, according to officials.
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