Lebanese firefighters and local residents have accused the Israeli military of deliberately starting wildfires across southern Lebanon, as large areas of woodland, olive groves, and farmland have burned in the nearly two months since the June 17 ceasefire largely halted fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hussein Fakih, head of civil defense in the Nabatieh region, told The Guardian that fires have affected 30 to 40 percent of land in some areas close to the front line. He said Israeli forces began setting fires immediately after the ceasefire, alleging that drones have dropped incendiary materials while white phosphorus shells and illumination flares have been fired into woodland.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces dropped flares over a wooded area outside Khiam, sparking fires, according to Fakih. A drone later struck near firefighters attempting to extinguish the blaze, forcing them to withdraw. The report has drawn widespread condemnation from Lebanese officials and international observers, who described the actions as ecocide.
One town mayor in southern Lebanon told reporters that Israeli forces had already bulldozed the whole village before setting fire to the trees, in what he described as an attempt to make it appear as though nobody had ever lived there. The accusations come as Israel continues to maintain a security buffer zone it established in southern Lebanon during the conflict.
By June, Israel reportedly controlled around 2,000 square kilometers of Lebanese territory, roughly one-fifth of the country. The Israeli military has not directly responded to the wildfire allegations, though it has previously said its operations in southern Lebanon are aimed at ensuring the security of its northern communities.
Lebanese Prime Minister has accused Israel of breaching international law in its conduct in southern Lebanon, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the region and boasted of destroying houses, saying Israel would be there long term. The U.S. has reportedly criticized Katz’s remarks.
The fires add to growing environmental and humanitarian concerns in the region, where prolonged military operations have already devastated infrastructure and displaced tens of thousands of residents from their homes in the south.
Sources: The Guardian, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post
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