How Israel Is Using the Same Tactics in Lebanon That It Did in Gaza
Key Points:
- The town of Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold near the Israeli border, has been largely destroyed by Israeli military operations, with entire streets and buildings flattened as part of a broader campaign in southern Lebanon.
- Israel's defense minister confirmed that the military is using tactics similar to those employed in Gaza, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure embedded in civilian areas, which has resulted in widespread destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques.
- Since early March, Israeli strikes have killed over 2,600 people in Lebanon and displaced more than a million, despite a U.S.-mediated cease-fire; human rights groups warn that the extensive targeting of civilian infrastructure may constitute war crimes.
- Satellite imagery and verified reports show that Shiite-majority villages near the border have suffered the most severe damage, while predominantly Christian and Druse areas have been less affected, with Israel reportedly allowing some non-Shiite residents to remain.
- Residents displaced by the conflict face uncertain futures as they await the possibility of returning home, with many homes and towns reduced to rubble and infrastructure destroyed, leaving communities devastated both physically and emotionally.