Lebanese civil defense teams battling the flames say the fires caused by Israel have burned 30 to 40 percent of the land in Nabatieh
News Desk, The Cradle, AUG 13, 2026
(Photo
credit: X) Large fires continued to burn and spread in south Lebanon on
13 August due to continuous strikes, artillery shelling, and deliberate
arson operations carried out by Israeli occupation forces illegally
positioned inside the country.
The Israeli arson operations in particular are targeting forests and greenery.
Israel has been damaging the environment in Lebanon for years, increasingly so over the past several months and specifically since the latest round of fighting began – including through the spraying of toxic chemicals.
Firefighters said, as they put out the blazes caused by Israel’s attacks and arson, that the fires were sparked “deliberately” by occupation forces.
The fires escalated overnight as Israel intensified attacks, but have been raging for weeks, environmental groups have said.
Israeli occupation troops used flares in a wooded area near the southern city of Khiam, sparking large blazes.
Hussein Fakih, head of the Lebanese Civil Defense in Nabatieh, said firefighters were targeted by an Israeli drone as they were heading to put out the flames.
“Most of our missions are now related to fires. There are enormous areas of woodland that have burned, I don’t have the exact figures, but in the areas close to the [frontline], around 30–40 percent of the land has been affected by fires,” he added.
Much of the agriculture in south Lebanon, including olive groves, has been affected by the fires, sparked by Israeli occupation troops and worsened by the hot summer weather.
The fires were seen in numerous videos posted across social media.
Meanwhile, Israeli infantry forces advanced into the area between the towns of Aita al-Jabal and Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district, as Tel Aviv carried out attacks in other areas on Thursday.
Occupation troops continued to detonate civilian infrastructure in multiple southern towns and villages, including Majdal Zoun, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).
On 12 August, Israeli War Minister Israel Katz renewed his repeated vows that occupation forces “will not withdraw” from south Lebanon.
Israel’s escalation and expansion in Lebanon have escalated since Beirut violated its own laws and agreed to an unconstitutional framework deal with Israel in June, during direct talks with Tel Aviv.
The deal demands Hezbollah disarmament before any withdrawal and allows Israel to maintain its occupation.
Tel Aviv says it has established a “security zone” in the dozens of villages it has occupied since March, but Hezbollah resistance fighters remain entrenched across this area.
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