Lebanon documents Israeli spraying of ‘toxic substances,’ plans UN Security Council complaint

By Wassim Samih Seifeddine

BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanon has begun documenting Israel’s spraying of “toxic substances” over agricultural land in several southern villages in preparation for filing a complaint with the UN Security Council, the country’s foreign ministry said Wednesday.

A ministry statement said it has started documenting Israeli actions involving the spraying of toxic materials and pesticides over farmland and orchards in multiple Lebanese villages.

The ministry said it will coordinate, under presidential guidance, with the ministries of environment, agriculture and health to prepare a comprehensive legal file documenting “serious violations” committed by Israel.

The file will identify the nature of the substances used and verify whether they breach international law by cross-checking them against lists of internationally prohibited materials under relevant treaties and conventions, the statement said.

It will also document affected areas and assess damage and impact resulting from the use of the substances, including effects on humans, soil, vegetation and water resources, according to the ministry.

Once the file is completed, Lebanon will submit an official complaint against Israel to the UN Security Council, the ministry added.

Early Wednesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun strongly condemned the spraying of toxic substances by Israeli aircraft over land and orchards in border villages in southern Lebanon, calling it a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an environmental and public health crime.

On Monday, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the Israeli army informed it that it would conduct aerial activity to drop what Israel described as a “non-toxic chemical substance” over areas near the Blue Line.

UNIFIL called the Israeli activity “unacceptable” and said it posed risks to the health of its personnel and civilians while raising concerns over potential effects on civilians and the environment.

In a related development, Lebanon’s Agriculture Ministry said Monday it would send samples from several sites to specialized laboratories in Beirut for scientific testing, with additional samples to be sent to an EU-recognized laboratory in Greece.

Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani said technical teams are examining several scientific hypotheses regarding the nature of the substances that may have been used, describing the spraying as part of military practices aimed at stripping surrounding areas of agricultural productivity and natural life.

In December 2025, the Agriculture Ministry forwarded to the Foreign Ministry a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on agricultural damage caused by Israeli attacks during 2023 and 2024. The report estimated direct damage to Lebanon’s agricultural sector at about $118 million, with broader economic losses exceeding $586 million, identifying southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley as the most affected areas.

A 2024 ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has ended more than a year of attacks that killed over 4,000 people and injured 17,000 others against the backdrop of Israel's war in Gaza.

The Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon in January 2025 under the ceasefire, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.

Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul