Human Rights Watch has reported that the Israeli military’s repeated attacks on reconstruction-related equipment and other civilian facilities in southern Lebanon throughout 2025 violate the laws of war and constitute apparent war crimes. ([hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/lebanon-israel-unlawfully-destroying-reconstruction-equipment?utm_source=openai))
The report documents four specific strikes between August and October that resulted in the deaths of three civilians and the destruction of over 360 pieces of heavy machinery, as well as a major cement factory. These attacks occurred months after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, severely hampering efforts to rebuild tens of thousands of homes destroyed in earlier hostilities.
International humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality, governs the conduct of both the Israeli military and civilian entities in southern Lebanon. Israel has claimed that the targeted equipment was intended for Hezbollah to “reestablish terrorist infrastructure.” However, Human Rights Watch, after site visits and interviews, found no evidence of military use at the locations and argued that the “possible contribution” to military action was too attenuated to make the sites lawful targets. ([hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/lebanon-israel-unlawfully-destroying-reconstruction-equipment?utm_source=openai))
The report emphasizes the high threshold set by international humanitarian law for military targets. Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at the organization, stated: “Amid the ceasefire, Israeli forces have carried out attacks that unlawfully target reconstruction-related equipment and facilities. After reducing many of Lebanon’s southern border towns to rubble, the Israeli military is now making it much more difficult for tens of thousands of residents to rebuild their destroyed homes and return to their towns.” ([hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/lebanon-israel-unlawfully-destroying-reconstruction-equipment?utm_source=openai))
Human Rights Watch asserts that Israeli commanders who ordered the strikes may be held responsible for war crimes. The organization cites the International Committee of the Red Cross study on customary international humanitarian law, which states that objects can only be targeted if they make an “effective contribution to military action,” and their destruction offers a “definite military advantage.” ([hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/lebanon-israel-unlawfully-destroying-reconstruction-equipment?utm_source=openai))
The detailed documentation of these strikes provides evidence for potential legal proceedings over the displacement of over 64,000 people and the growing humanitarian crisis. The report urges Israel’s key allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to suspend military assistance and impose sanctions. ([hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/lebanon-israel-unlawfully-destroying-reconstruction-equipment?utm_source=openai))
These findings align with previous reports by Amnesty International, which documented the Israeli military’s extensive and deliberate destruction of civilian property and agricultural land across southern Lebanon. Amnesty International’s briefing, “Nowhere To Return: Israel’s Extensive Destruction of Southern Lebanon,” reveals that more than 10,000 structures were heavily damaged or destroyed between October 2023 and January 2025, even after a ceasefire was declared. ([amnesty.org](https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/08/lebanon-israeli-militarys-deliberate-destruction-of-civilian-property-and-land-must-be-investigated-as-war-crimes/?utm_source=openai))
Furthermore, the United Nations human rights office reported that at least 127 civilians had been killed in Lebanon in strikes by the Israeli military since a ceasefire nearly a year ago. The UN has called for an investigation and for the truce to be respected. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strikes-have-killed-least-127-civilians-lebanon-since-ceasefire-un-says-2025-11-25/?utm_source=openai))
These reports collectively highlight a pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure and personnel in Lebanon, raising serious concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law and the protection of civilian lives and property.