Allegations of Israeli-Started Fires in Lebanon

Firefighters and residents in southern Lebanon accuse the Israeli military of deliberately starting fires in forests and agricultural areas. Fire crews claim that Israeli drones and munitions have caused numerous fires in recent weeks. Hussein Fakih, head of the civil defense unit in the Nabatiyeh region, stated that on Tuesday, the Israeli military fired flare bombs into a wooded area near Khiam in southern Lebanon, resulting in a fire. Fakih added that while fire crews were trying to put out the fire, a drone attacked them, forcing the teams to retreat.The fires in Lebanon have particularly affected large areas near the front lines, with Fakih estimating that around 30 to 40 percent of the region's land has been impacted by the fires. Fakih argued that the fires have continued even after a ceasefire, with drones dropping incendiary materials and firing white phosphorus munitions and flare bombs into wooded areas. In Lebanon, fire crews need to coordinate with the Lebanese army to respond to fires. However, the teams have only been allowed to respond to fires at two points, while other areas have been inaccessible.