BBC Sees Destroyed Villages in Israeli-Occupied Southern Lebanon

The BBC has reported from southern Lebanon, an area under Israeli occupation, after being granted rare access as part of a humanitarian convoy. The mission, organized by the Order of Malta, distributed aid to Christian villages that have become isolated due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The convoy traveled on Thursday, just before a new ceasefire announcement in the conflict. While the team observed an Israeli military presence, filming opportunities were limited during the journey. Israel has declared no intention to withdraw its forces, aiming instead to establish a security zone along the border, free from Hezbollah, to shield its northern communities from rocket and drone attacks.

In the occupied territories, primarily Shia villages have reportedly been devastated by Israeli airstrikes and demolitions. Human rights organizations have raised concerns, suggesting that some of these actions could constitute the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, potentially amounting to war crimes.

The report features contributions from BBC Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega and video journalist Neha Sharma, with additional reporting from Samantha Granville and Angie Mrad.