Shafaq News- Beirut

The office of Iraq’s top Shiite cleric Ali Al-Sistani in Lebanon on Wednesday launched a humanitarian initiative to help cover medical costs for displaced and financially vulnerable Lebanese families.

In a statement, the office explained that the program will contribute to hospital procedure expenses for eligible patients from low-income households. Assistance will cover part of treatment costs following case-by-case assessments, particularly for patients without insurance or those facing large outstanding bills after aid from guarantor institutions.

To facilitate applications, the office introduced an online form allowing applicants to submit the required information for evaluation.

Hostilities between Lebanon and Israel resumed on March 2, displacing more than 750,000 people from southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to official figures. Lebanon’s Health Ministry previously recorded 486 deaths between March 2 and March 9 from Israeli strikes. Medical sources later told Shafaq News that the toll has risen to around 570 following intensified bombardment over the past 48 hours in Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, while the number of wounded has surpassed 1,444 people.