Israeli forces demolishing towns in Lebanon buffer zone, report says
Israeli forces are moving ahead with demolitions of buildings in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah, according to a report by Haaretz.
Commanders cited by the newspaper said civilian homes, public buildings and schools are being systematically razed as part of a policy to “clear the area” within a buffer zone established by Israeli forces.
The report said demolitions are being carried out by contractors, some paid based on the number of structures destroyed, and that entire towns are being levelled without a clear distinction between buildings used by Hezbollah and others.
Israel has said the group uses civilian infrastructure for military purposes. Defence Minister Israel Katz said previously that homes in villages near the border would be demolished following a model used in the Gaza Strip to remove threats.
An ambulance and a fire truck are parked near a destroyed building in southern Lebanese village of Srifa on 19 April 2026. AFP