OTTAWA — The Carney government is promising more than $37 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in Lebanon caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced the aid today alongside Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development.

The funding will go through United Nations agencies and the Red Cross to provide food, medical services, shelter and clean water.

The UN says nearly 700,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced by the hostilities that started in late February when the U.S. launched its war against Iran, which Israel joined.

Israel and Hezbollah blame each other for the renewed hostilities and Ottawa says both sides must de-escalate while respecting Lebanon’s territorial integrity.

Before the recent surge in violence and the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, Lebanon was already grappling with an economic crisis and waves of missile exchanges between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2026.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press