Israel committing 'countless' war crimes in Lebanon one month after expanding war

Wednesday marked one month since Israel's army announced its Arrows of the North" campaign which led to wider attacks on Lebanon, reaching swathes of the country, including its capital Beirut.

Since 23 September, over 2,000 people have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded, eclipsing the casualty count of 11 months of the "border war" between Israel and Hezbollah since 8 October 2023.

The total number of dead since the start of the cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel stood at 2,546, and 11,862 wounded, according to the Lebanese health minister on Tuesday.

In one month, over a million citizens have been displaced, and over 3,000 buildings have been destroyed.

Multiple neighbourhoods in Beirut, the northwestern Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon have been decimated in operations known as "fire belts", which also destroyed vast green areas.

During this period Israel has widened its circle of targets far beyond the scope of its previous attacks.

Before 23 September, Israel had steadily escalated its aggression, having embarked on a series of assassinations against "Axis of Resistance" leaders, especially those in Hezbollah, culminating with the killing of Hezbollah's General Secretary Hassan Nasrallah on 27 September.

Israel also carried out the unprecedented pager and radio massacres on 17 and 18 September, after which it launched a string of attacks on branches of the Qard al-Hassan financial institution.

However, since September 23, it has also targeted displaced and host communities far from Hezbollah-controlled areas, even those considered "affiliated" with other sects - rather than confining its attacks to Lebanon's Shia communities as before.

It has indiscriminately attacked medical teams, hospitals, official border crossings, paramedics, Red Cross and civil defence teams, farmers and shepherds, media workers and peacekeeping forces.

It has also targeted several vital sectors, including water, electricity, and communications.

Israeli war crimes 'impossible to count'

Lebanese lawyer and researcher Ghida Frangieh, who writes regularly for The Legal Agenda, a socio-legal magazine, says, it's impossible to count all Israel's war crimes in Lebanon, particularly due to the difficulty of being on the ground in several areas under continuous Israeli bombardment.

"There is, however, a consistent systematic behaviour that constitutes a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity amidst the ongoing aggression. This expanded with the communication device explosions on September 17, and again on September 23, and it continues to this day," she said.

She highlighted that international law clearly distinguishes between military and non-military targets, but Israel treats civilian targets as if they were military, in violation of international law.

She added that certain incidents could be labelled war crimes based on sufficient evidence having been gathered in those cases – and The Legal Agenda was compiling a series of news reports on Israeli war crimes in an attempt to document these crimes in preparation for an independent and transparent investigation.

Systematic destruction

Israeli forces have directly targeted rescue and relief teams, preventing them from reaching targeted sites in multiple areas in Lebanon (prohibited under international law) and have killed over 130 of their personnel.

Moreover civilian staff - like medical and media workers - are afforded protections under international law, which they do not lose simply by belonging to civil entities affiliated with an organised armed group like Hezbollah, says Frangieh, pointing to Islamic Health Authority and Al-Manar staff who had been targeted.

Israel has also targeted the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which enjoys special protection under international law in a serious violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, issued in 2006.

Wanton destruction

Israel has also attacked official, cultural and historic sites, such as the Nabatieh municipality and the city's historic marketplace, and demolished an entire neighbourhood in the ancient town of Mhaibib.

Additionally, the main water supply route for the Litani River was targeted rendering it unusable – and indicates Israel's targeting of the means of livelihood in these areas.

Levelling buildings

Frangieh also addressed the complete demolition of civilian-owned buildings, often whose inhabitants have been displaced.

This has occurred in Aitou, Maaysrah, Ain el Delb, Baadaran, Karak, as well as in Basta and Al-Nawairi in Beirut, and in various other areas in the north, south, Beqaa, and Mount Lebanon.

According to all available information, there was no military target associated with these attacks, says Frangieh.

She also points out that even if there was a "legitimate" military target for hostile operations, it was not permissible to completely destroy a building and wipe out families, as happened in Basta, Al-Nawairi, Aitou, and elsewhere, to achieve a military objective.

Therefore, Israel's actions blatantly violate of the principle of proportionality and the balance between civilian harm and military objectives.

Frangieh points out that the concept of a military target is very limited in international law, but Israel deliberately distorts all concepts of war and its principles in an attempt to justify its crimes - both in Gaza and Lebanon.

Israel also disregards obligatory preventive measures to mitigate harm to civilians, highlights Frangieh, adding that even the warnings issued for evacuation are vague and don't meet legal standards.

For instance, they are often issued at inappropriate times, such as late at night, and do not specify a time frame for evacuation. Sometimes, attacks are carried out less than 15 minutes after warnings are issued.

Israel's attacks on the Qard al-Hassan branches also constitute a possible war crime due to the absence of a legitimate military target, says Frangieh.

While Israel's military spokesman declared the organisation funded Hezbollah's military activities, and receives funds from Iran, there is no evidence of the institution playing a direct military role, meaning it cannot be considered a military target under international law.

Lebanon's complaints to UN Security Council

While Lebanon has filed multiple complaints about Israel's attacks to the UN Security Council, no action has yet been taken by the body.

However, Frangieh says "the complaints are important in terms of being preserved in the UN's official records".

This grants them a documentary role, as well as reinforcing Lebanon's perspective and narrative regarding the Israeli crimes committed against it, she says, which will be vital in preparing future legal action.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.