Satellite images and verified videos reveal that towns and villages in southern Lebanon are being systematically leveled by Israeli demolitions. BBC Verify analysis indicates over 1,400 buildings have been destroyed since March 2, a figure likely to be higher due to limited access.
This campaign follows an order from Israel's Defense Minister to accelerate the destruction of Lebanese homes near the border, citing a model used in Gaza against Hezbollah. International law experts suggest this systematic demolition may amount to a war crime. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they operate under the Law of Armed Conflict, destroying property only when militarily necessary, and claim Hezbollah embeds infrastructure in civilian areas.
More than 1.2 million people are estimated to have been displaced across Lebanon. The town of Taybeh, near the border, has seen intense demolitions, with over 400 buildings leveled. Similarly, towns like Aita al-Shaab and Naqoura have sustained significant destruction, with explosions damaging the UN's peacekeeping mission headquarters in Naqoura.
Legal experts emphasize that destruction of property is prohibited by international humanitarian law unless militarily necessary, stating that leveling entire villages for long-term security or creating buffer zones is not permissible. The pattern of attacks appears to raise concerns about collective punishment and potential ethnic cleansing, though the IDF denies these claims.