Lebanese President Michel Aoun has formally accused Israel of perpetrating an environmental crime following aerial chemical spraying operations over southern Lebanese territories. The National News Agency of Lebanon reported President Aoun’s characterization of the incident as both an environmental and health violation targeting Lebanese citizens and their agricultural lands.
President Aoun condemned the operation as a severe breach of Lebanese sovereignty, confirming he has instructed government agencies to pursue all available diplomatic and legal channels to address this aggression. He further called upon the international community and United Nations organizations to intervene and halt these practices that jeopardize agricultural sustainability and public health.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported receiving prior notification from the Israeli military regarding planned aerial operations near the Blue Line demarcation, with instructions for personnel to remain sheltered. Israeli authorities described the sprayed substance as a ‘non-toxic chemical,’ though this characterization faces challenge.
Contradicting Israel’s claims, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor documented aircraft dispersing chemical substances across extensive agricultural zones, particularly affecting Ayta ash-SShaab and surrounding border regions. The organization warned of potential long-term contamination of soil and water resources, constituting serious threats to health rights and environmental safety.
According to the human rights monitor, the deliberate targeting of civilian farmland represents a violation of international humanitarian law, specifically provisions protecting objects indispensable to civilian survival. They contextualized this incident within what they described as Israel’s broader ‘scorched-earth policy’ aimed at undermining living security in southern Lebanon.
UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric expressed serious concern about activities endangering peacekeepers and civilians, confirming UNIFIL’s temporary operational suspension during the incident. UNIFIL subsequently collaborated with the Lebanese army to collect substance samples for toxicity analysis.
Lebanon’s Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani announced that samples from multiple affected sites would undergo scientific testing at specialized laboratories in Beirut, with additional specimens sent to an EU-recognized facility in Greece. Minister Hani characterized the spraying as military tactics intended to deprive border regions of agricultural productivity and natural ecosystems.
This incident occurs despite the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, with cross-border tensions persisting through near-daily military engagements.