Satellite images reveal scale of Israeli demolitions as Lebanese villages destroyed
Lebanese hilltop towns and villages near the border are now unrecognisable, according to satellite imagery and videos reviewed by BBC Verify. The analysis shows over 1,400 buildings have been obliterated since 2 March, based on verified visual data. However, the full extent of the destruction remains unclear due to limited ground access and satellite coverage, with experts suggesting the true figure could be significantly higher.
Israel’s targeting of these areas follows orders from Defence Minister Israel Katz on 22 March to “accelerate the destruction of Lebanese homes” near the border. The directive cited the “model in Gaza” as a precedent for its campaign against Hezbollah. International law specialists warned that the systematic removal of civilian structures may constitute a war crime.
“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they operate under the Law of Armed Conflict and only destroy property when military necessity requires it,” an IDF spokesperson stated. “Hezbollah has integrated military infrastructure within civilian zones, they added, without providing evidence.”
Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel on 2 March as retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, marking the start of the conflict with Israel and the US. In response, the IDF initiated air strikes across Lebanon, targeting what it claimed was Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, and launched a ground offensive in the south. Initial evacuation orders were issued on 2 March, affecting residents close to the border. By late March, the zone expanded to include those south of the Litani River, about 30km from the border. Later, the area was broadened further to those living south of the Zahrani River, 40km away.
On 16 March, the IDF confirmed the start of its ground operation against Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim political and military group. The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated that 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon, including 820,000 from the south, with many fleeing north or crossing into Syria. The Lebanese health ministry reported over 2,000 casualties since the war began, while Israeli authorities stated Hezbollah has killed 13 soldiers and two civilians in the past six weeks.
Targeted destruction in specific areas
BBC Verify’s analysis of satellite images and verified footage uncovered controlled demolitions in at least seven border towns and villages. The town of Taybeh, just 4km from the border, faced particularly severe attacks. Eleven videos show entire sections of the town destroyed in coordinated blasts. A comparison of satellite images from 28 February and 11 April reveals more than 400 buildings, including a mosque, have been completely razed there.
Meanwhile, in Khiam and surrounding villages such as Qouzah, Deir Seryan, Markaba, and Aita al-Shaab, coordinated explosions have devastated multiple structures. In Aita al-Shaab alone, over 460 buildings were demolished, with excavators and armored vehicles visible in the satellite imagery. “I’ve seen excavators and armored vehicles in the village,” said Tony Reeves, founder of intelligence firm MAIAR.
Naqoura, a coastal town, also suffered damage to the headquarters of the UN’s peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. Kandice Ardiel, a UN spokesperson, noted that several buildings have been destroyed opposite the Unifil HQ since early April. “The scale of the destruction is evident,” she remarked, adding that the situation continues to worsen.
Defence Minister Israel Katz’s plan for an Israeli-controlled “security zone” extending from the border to the Litani River would cover about 10% of Lebanon’s territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the move as a means to “thwart the threat of invasion,” though critics argue it reflects broader strategic objectives.
