Key facts
- More than 11,000 buildings in south Lebanon have been completely destroyed.
- The UN report estimates building damage at $1.38 billion since March 2.
- Satellite images and verified videos show towns and villages being leveled.
- The Israeli military's actions may constitute war crimes, according to international law experts.
- The IDF claims to operate in accordance with the Law of Armed Conflict and cites imperative military necessity.
- Amnesty International documented extensive destruction between October 2024 and January 2025, concluding it violated international humanitarian law.
More than 11,000 buildings in southern Lebanon have been "completely destroyed" by Israeli actions, according to a new report. The United Nations estimates the building damage at $1.38 billion since Israel began its attacks on March 2.
Satellite images and verified videos obtained by BBC Verify reveal that towns and villages in southern Lebanon are being leveled by Israeli demolitions. BBC Verify's analysis found over 1,400 buildings destroyed based on verified visual evidence, noting that the true scale of damage is likely higher due to limited access and imagery.
These demolitions follow an order from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on March 22 to "accelerate the destruction of Lebanese homes" near the Israeli border, citing a "model in Gaza." International law experts told BBC Verify that the systematic demolition of these structures may amount to a war crime.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it operates in accordance with the Law of Armed Conflict and does not permit property destruction unless there is an imperative military necessity. The IDF also claimed, without providing evidence, that Hezbollah has embedded military infrastructure within civilian areas.
On March 2, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader. The IDF responded with strikes across Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Evacuation orders for Lebanese civilians living near the border were issued starting March 2 and subsequently expanded.
According to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 1.2 million people are estimated to have been displaced across Lebanon, with 820,000 from the south. The Lebanese health ministry reported over 2,000 deaths since the war began, while Israeli authorities stated 13 soldiers and two civilians were killed by Hezbollah.
Amnesty International's report documented extensive destruction and damage to civilian structures and agricultural land in southern Lebanon between October 2024 and January 2025. The organization concluded that these actions violated international humanitarian law, particularly prohibitions on the destruction of property and cultural property, and should be investigated as war crimes. Amnesty International verified 77 videos and pictures published on social media and analyzed satellite imagery, finding evidence of controlled demolitions, including homes, mosques, and public spaces. Some Israeli soldiers filmed themselves engaging in this destruction.