LEBANON – A building-level damage assessment conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has estimated that direct damage to buildings in Beirut and Mount Lebanon exceeds $365 million, highlighting the scale of destruction caused by the recent conflict.
The assessment, released in coordination with Lebanon’s National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-L), the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), and the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), used a combination of geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), satellite imagery analysis, and field verification to evaluate visible damage across affected areas between February and April 2026.
According to the findings, 146 buildings were destroyed, while another 264 buildings sustained partial damage. The assessment also recorded the destruction of 3,168 housing units and partial damage to an additional 4,437 residential units.
A further 54 apartments were identified as having localized damage that may not be fully visible through satellite imagery.
The report estimated that the damage generated approximately 648,942 cubic metres of debris, creating a significant challenge for cleanup and recovery operations.
Most of the destruction was concentrated in densely populated areas of Mount Lebanon, particularly in Haret Hreik, Hadath, Chiyah, Bourj El-Barajneh, Laylaki, and Choueifat-Amrousieh.
Additional damage hotspots were identified in several Beirut districts, including Mazraa, Bachoura, Ain el Mreisseh, and Moussaytbeh.
Mount Lebanon accounted for the vast majority of financial losses, with damage estimated at nearly $350 million, compared with around $15.4 million in Beirut.
The assessment calculated costs using graduated damage coefficients and a replacement-cost baseline of $450 per square metre.
The methodology and damage-classification framework were reviewed and validated by CNRS-L to ensure scientific accuracy and alignment with national assessment standards.
UNDP said the findings will serve as an initial information base for Lebanese authorities, international partners, and humanitarian organizations working to prioritize interventions, allocate resources, and guide reconstruction efforts.
![The rubble of shops destroyed in Israeli air strikes in the Hosh neighbourhood of Tyre, southern Lebanon [File: Bilal Hussein/AP Photo]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fenmaeya-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fglobal%2Fimage%2FNBO9nmK9fHloQpk3AYPn4SPqt_1779099154813_zArbu.webp&w=3840&q=25)
