BEIRUT, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved 250 million U.S. dollars to help Lebanon repair critical infrastructure and restore services damaged by recent conflict, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The funding will launch the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Project (LEAP), aimed at jumpstarting recovery and laying the foundation for long-term reconstruction.

A recent assessment estimated 7.2 billion dollars in damage from conflict between October 2023 and December 2024.

LEAP is part of a scalable 1-billion-dollar framework, with the initial World Bank contribution designed to attract further grants and loans under a government-led structure focused on transparency and results, said Jean-Christophe Carret, World Bank country director for the Middle East Department.

The project targets urgent repairs to electricity, water, roads, healthcare, education, and municipal services. It also includes environmentally responsible rubble removal, prioritizing recycling and reuse.

To show solidarity with Palestinians, Lebanese armed group Hezbollah engaged in months of hostilities with Israel. A U.S.- and France-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel was reached on Nov. 27, 2024. ■