Rights group condemns Israel attacks on civilian reconstruction facilities and equipment in Lebanon News
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Rights group condemns Israel attacks on civilian reconstruction facilities and equipment in Lebanon

Human Rights Watch said Monday that the Israel’s repeated attacks on reconstruction-related equipment and other civilian facilities in southern Lebanon throughout 2025 constitute war crimes.

The extensive report documented four specific strikes between August and October that killed three civilians and destroyed over 360 pieces of heavy machinery and a major cement factory. The attacks occurred months after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. It severely hampered efforts to rebuild tens of thousands of homes destroyed in earlier hostilities, the report found.

Both the Israeli military and civilian contractors on the ground are governed by the international laws of war, which instate the principles of distinction and proportionality. Israel has claimed targeted equipment was intended for Hezbollah to “reestablish terrorist infrastructure.” Human Rights Watch, after site visits and interviews, found no evidence of military use at the locations and argued that the “possible contribution” to military action was too attenuated to make the sites lawful targets.

The report emphasized the high bar international humanitarian law sets for military targets. Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at the organization, stated:

Amid the ceasefire, Israeli forces have carried out attacks that unlawfully target reconstruction-related equipment and facilities. After reducing many of Lebanon’s southern border towns to rubble, the Israeli military is now making it much more difficult for tens of thousands of residents to rebuild their destroyed homes and return to their towns.

The group stated that Israeli commanders who ordered the strikes may be held responsible for war crimes. It cited the authoritative International Committee of the Red Cross study on customary international humanitarian law, which states that objects can only be targeted if they make an “effective contribution to military action,” and their destruction offers a “definite military advantage.”

The detailed documentation of these strikes, while a powerful tool for accountability, is still a limited response to the ongoing harm. However, it provides evidence for potential legal proceedings over the displacement of over 64,000 people and growing humanitarian crisis.

The report urged Israel’s key allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to suspend military assistance and impose sanctions. 

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