Lebanon accuses israel of spraying cancer-linked herbicides on southern farmland in environmental attack

Lebanon has leveled serious accusations against Israel, claiming the country deliberately sprayed cancer-linked herbicides on agricultural lands in southern Lebanon, potentially devastating local food production and threatening public health. The alleged chemical spraying represents what Lebanese officials are calling an unprecedented environmental assault on the region’s farming communities.

President Joseph Aoun strongly condemned the actions as “an environmental and health crime,” emphasizing that the herbicide application violates Lebanese sovereignty while posing severe risks to both human health and food security. The president announced plans to pursue comprehensive legal and diplomatic measures to address what he characterized as an act of environmental aggression against Lebanese territory.

The accusations highlight growing concerns about the use of potentially carcinogenic chemicals in agricultural warfare, with critics suggesting the spraying campaign aims to render southern Lebanese farmland uninhabitable. Such actions could have long-lasting consequences for local farmers whose livelihoods depend entirely on the affected agricultural areas, potentially forcing rural communities to abandon their lands.

The environmental implications extend beyond immediate agricultural damage, as cancer-linked herbicides can contaminate soil and groundwater for extended periods, creating lasting public health risks for surrounding communities. The incident underscores the broader issue of environmental destruction as a tool of conflict, raising questions about international environmental protection standards and the accountability of nations that engage in ecological warfare against civilian populations and agricultural infrastructure.