Mapping the destruction: How Israel ‘wiped out’ Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil
An Al Jazeera investigation reveals that Israeli forces have systematically destroyed over 1,500 buildings in Bint Jbeil and surrounding areas in southern Lebanon, with satellite imagery and visual evidence pointing to a deliberate campaign to render the region uninhabitable. The destruction, concentrated in historic and civilian areas, has drawn comparisons to tactics used in Gaza and is seen by officials as an attempt to create a permanent buffer zone. Despite a declared ceasefire, demolitions have continued, targeting homes, infrastructure, and agricultural land. Local leaders accuse Israel of war crimes and call for international intervention to stop the erasure of civilian life and heritage.
- ▪Over 70 percent of Bint Jbeil has been destroyed, with more than 3,000 housing units demolished and 90 percent of the urban footprint affected.
- ▪Satellite analysis and geolocated videos show 93 percent of documented demolitions occurred in the Nabatieh governorate, half within the Bint Jbeil district.
- ▪Israeli forces have targeted civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools, power stations, and agricultural land using incendiary weapons and white phosphorus.
- ▪The Israeli military frames the operation as necessary to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and establish a security buffer zone along the border.
- ▪Hezbollah has vowed to continue resistance, warning that no Israeli settlement will be safe regardless of the depth of any buffer zone.
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News|Israel attacks LebanonMapping the destruction: How Israel ‘wiped out’ Lebanon’s Bint JbeilAn Al Jazeera visual investigation reveals the systematic demolition of Lebanese border towns, drawing stark comparisons to the devastation in Gaza.ListenListen (7 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoFootage shared by Israeli social media accounts showing ongoing bombings in villages in southern Lebanon [Social media]By Al Jazeera StaffPublished On 28 Apr 202628 Apr 2026In the historic heart of Bint Jbeil, a 400-year-old Great Mosque once stood as a testament to the city’s enduring cultural memory. Today, it lies in ruins, alongside more than 1,500 buildings systematically destroyed by Israeli forces in an escalating military campaign in southern Lebanon.Through the meticulous analysis of satellite imagery and open-source intelligence, a visual investigation by Al Jazeera Arabic’s fact-checking team has revealed a deliberate Israeli policy to render southern Lebanon permanently uninhabitable.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Iran war: What’s happening on day 60 as diplomacy gathers pace?list 2 of 4Down but not out: In war with Israel, Hezbollah shows it is still powerfullist 3 of 4Palestine weekly wrap: Under cover of ceasefire, Israel increases griplist 4 of 4How Iran has changed, and how it hasn’t, in two months of warend of listThe border villages and towns of southern Lebanon are witnessing a relentless military escalation beyond conventional warfare. Israeli operations have expanded into a policy of systematically “wiping out” civilian homes, residential neighbourhoods and vital infrastructure, analysis of the map shows.This pattern has drawn direct comparisons to the Israeli military’s brutal tactics in the Gaza Strip, which lies in ruins. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people remain forcibly displaced.Legal experts, analysts and local officials warn that the ultimate objective is the “emptying of residential geography”, carving out a depopulated “buffer zone” at the forward edge of the border that permanently prevents displaced residents from returning and establishes a violently enforced demographic reality on the ground.Israel says it wants to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to prevent attacks from Hezbollah.Mohammad Bazzi, the mayor of Bint Jbeil, told Al Jazeera that the extensive destruction reflects an organised campaign targeting civilian architecture and identity. He noted with alarm that these systematic demolitions have proceeded unabated even after the announcement of a ceasefire, suggesting a long-term strategy of territorial erasure rather than immediate tactical necessity. Advertisement Even before the current conflict erupted in March, Israel was violating the November 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah almost daily, killing hundreds.A visual map of obliterationBint Jbeil has emerged as the epicentre of this devastation, functioning as a concentrated model of Israel’s border strategy. By verifying and geolocating visual evidence, Al Jazeera’s digital investigation team tracked 14 distinct videos published by Israeli soldiers and journalists between April 16 and 24.Translation: Golani Brigade forces destroyed more than 50 terror infrastructures in recent days: **Watch the massive explosion – of dozens of terror buildings** Little secret-My friend returned from there, he tells me that the whole idea of a ceasefire, it’s…
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