Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned Israel for committing war crimes by repeatedly targeting reconstruction-related equipment and civilian facilities in southern Lebanon throughout 2025, despite a ceasefire that came into effect on November 27, 2024.

According to Al Mayadeen’s Monday report, the rights organization said the attacks violated the laws of war, obstructed post-war recovery, and prevented tens of thousands of displaced residents from returning to their homes.

“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 are apparent war crimes,” HRW stated.

According to the report, more than 10,000 buildings in southern Lebanon were heavily damaged or destroyed between October 2023 and January 2025.

HRW said that rather than allowing reconstruction to proceed after the ceasefire, Israeli occupation forces continued to strike civilian infrastructure critical to recovery.

“Amid the ceasefire, Israeli forces have carried out attacks that unlawfully target reconstruction-related equipment and facilities,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“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,” Kaiss added.