Lebanese PM Nawaf Salam: War costs may exceed $27 billion, Lebanon needs Arab support

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said the cost of Lebanon's recent wars will likely exceed $27 billion, and that the state's limited resources cannot bear reconstruction alone.

• Salam said the cost of the wars that began in 2023 and in March 2026 has exceeded $20 billion and is expected to pass $27 billion after full counting.
• He said parts of Lebanese territory remain under occupation, including 75 towns and cities in southern Lebanon, with about 250,000 Lebanese still displaced.
• Salam warned that Lebanon faces a serious shortage of international response and support, saying reconstruction requires Arab and international backing and large external financing.
• He said the decision on war and peace must rest solely with the state, which is working to return displaced citizens to their areas.
• Salam said the wars left over 9,000 martyrs and 30,000 wounded.
• He said about 91,000 housing units were destroyed in the latest round, adding to 230,000 damaged in the previous war.
• He said donor funding covered only 49.8% of the $639 million requested, compared to 94.9% in 2024.