Lebanon has accused Israeli aircraft of spraying an agricultural herbicide over southern villages at concentrations authorities described as dangerously high, raising concerns for food and environmental security. The agriculture and environment ministries said laboratory tests confirmed the substance was glyphosate, a chemical used to destroy vegetation, with concentrations in some samples 'between 20 and 30 times the levels usually accepted'. President Joseph Aoun condemned the spraying of what he described as 'toxic substances', calling it a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an environmental and health crime. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told the BBC they had no comment on the matter.
The purpose behind the release of herbicide on the villages remains unclear. Residents in several border villages reported the spraying, which comes more than a year after a ceasefire ended a war between Israel and the Lebanese Shia Islamist group Hezbollah. Earlier in the week, United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon said they had been notified by Israel of planned spraying near the border and were advised to take shelter. This communication forced them to cancel some of their planned operations.
With tens of thousands still displaced after hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in 2023-24, the challenges for returning home are compounded, according to Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Lebanon. Experts warn that incidents like this do not only harm local ecosystems but also have broader economic consequences for Lebanon's farming sector.
The Lebanese foreign ministry said it intended to submit a formal complaint against Israel to the UN Security Council.
The purpose behind the release of herbicide on the villages remains unclear. Residents in several border villages reported the spraying, which comes more than a year after a ceasefire ended a war between Israel and the Lebanese Shia Islamist group Hezbollah. Earlier in the week, United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon said they had been notified by Israel of planned spraying near the border and were advised to take shelter. This communication forced them to cancel some of their planned operations.
With tens of thousands still displaced after hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in 2023-24, the challenges for returning home are compounded, according to Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Lebanon. Experts warn that incidents like this do not only harm local ecosystems but also have broader economic consequences for Lebanon's farming sector.
The Lebanese foreign ministry said it intended to submit a formal complaint against Israel to the UN Security Council.
