Amnesty International has called for an investigation into the Israeli military’s extensive destruction of civilian property and agricultural land in southern Lebanon as potential war crimes. In a research briefing released on Tuesday, the organization detailed the demolition of over 10,000 civilian structures from October 2024 to January 2025, actions it asserts lacked the "imperative military necessity" mandated by international humanitarian law.

The report, titled "Nowhere to Return," illustrates how the destruction was often executed using manually laid explosives and bulldozers while Israeli forces controlled the regions. This demolition occurred outside active combat zones and included homes, mosques, cemeteries, orchards, roads, and parks, with instances of soldiers reportedly filming themselves celebrating the demolitions.

Amnesty's research included verifying 77 videos and images published by Israeli soldiers and activists, as well as conducting satellite analysis that showed villages being systematically razed. The organization emphasized that under international humanitarian law, the destruction of adversary property outside combat is prohibited unless justified by imperative military necessity.

The report also highlighted previous incidents where Israeli operations in Lebanon drew legal scrutiny, such as the 1996 Human Rights Watch report on "Operation Grapes of Wrath," which documented indiscriminate shelling and civilian deaths.

In this context, Amnesty has urged Israel to provide reparations and called on Lebanon to pursue international accountability avenues. The organization also recommended that states, particularly the US, suspend arms transfers to Israel due to the significant risk of further violations. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticized Israel’s actions, noting that at least 57 civilians were killed while attempting to return to their homes during a ceasefire period in late 2024.

Amnesty International stated it had submitted questions to Israeli authorities on June 27, 2025, but had not received a response by the time of the report's publication. Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns, stressed the necessity for Israel to provide "prompt, full, and adequate reparations to all victims of violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes, both individuals and entire communities."

This call for accountability and reparations underscores the ongoing tensions and the complex history of the Israel-Lebanon conflict, rooted in decades of unresolved disputes and regional power rivalries. The situation remains delicate, with international eyes closely watching for developments.