Asharq Al Awsat
5 February 2026
Laboratory tests have identified the chemical sprayed by Israeli
aircraft in southern Lebanon as glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that
can destroy vegetation when applied intensively, Lebanon’s agriculture
minister, Nizar Hani, told Asharq Al-Awsat, saying the substance was
used at abnormally high concentrations along the border with Israel.
The spraying of unidentified chemical substances by Israeli aircraft has triggered widespread condemnation.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun denounced “in the strongest terms the
Israeli aircraft’s spraying of toxic pesticides on farmland and orchards
in several southern border villages.”
He described the act as “a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty
and an environmental and health crime against Lebanese citizens and
their land, and a continuation of Israel’s repeated attacks on Lebanon
and its people.”
Aoun said the practices, which target agricultural land and citizens’
livelihoods and threaten public health and the environment, require the
international community and relevant United Nations bodies to assume
their responsibilities to halt the attacks and protect Lebanese
sovereignty.
He said he had asked the Foreign Ministry to prepare a documented file,
in coordination with the agriculture, environment, and public health
ministries, as a prelude to taking all necessary legal and diplomatic
steps, including filing complaints with relevant international forums.
High-concentration glyphosate
Lebanese authorities launched an investigation into the substances and subjected samples to scientific testing.
Hani said laboratory results showed the sprayed material was glyphosate,
a commonly used herbicide marketed in many countries, but added that it
had been applied at “extremely high concentrations, exceeding normal
levels by about 20%-30%.”
He said glyphosate, like other herbicides, eliminates vegetation when
used at such high levels, directly affecting soil and water and causing
negative repercussions for human health.
He noted that the substance is classified as having carcinogenic effects
and poses serious risks, particularly to agriculture and plant
ecosystems.
Hani said the incident was consistent with known practices along the
border, where such substances are used to create vegetation-free zones,
effectively resulting in systematic desertification.
State measures: reports and an international file
Hani said the Agriculture Ministry immediately initiated the required
procedures and prepared official reports to be submitted to the Foreign
Ministry, which will determine the appropriate course of action,
including filing complaints or submitting reports to the UN.
He recalled that the ministry had previously prepared a detailed report
in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization on
agricultural damage caused by Israeli attacks, quantifying direct losses
as well as indirect losses linked to production and farming seasons.
The report was formally submitted to the Foreign Ministry for the
necessary steps to be taken.
Health implications
The use of the substance also carries health consequences. Abdul Rahman
Al-Bizri, a member of parliament’s health committee, told Asharq
Al-Awsat that glyphosate is a chemical herbicide widely used worldwide
to eliminate unwanted weeds.
He condemned spraying the substance in populated civilian areas and on
land containing fruit-bearing crops essential for food, noting that
glyphosate works by disrupting an enzyme plants need for growth, causing
them to wither and die within a short period.
Al-Bizri said the conventional use of the substance is limited to roadside areas or the removal of unwanted vegetation.
Spraying it in these locations, he said, could fall within attempts to
remove vegetation for military and security purposes, as well as render
land unsuitable for agricultural use in the near term, hindering
residents’ return.
Scientific debate and aerial spraying
Al-Bizri pointed to the scientific controversy surrounding the
substance, noting that glyphosate is classified by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” in
addition to its direct and indirect health effects, particularly with
repeated or uncontrolled exposure.
He said one of the most dangerous aspects was aerial spraying, a method
rarely used for such substances because of its high risks, as it can
reach food crops, water sources, and residential areas. He said what is
happening appears to be deliberate spraying of the inhabited regions and
food crops.
Symptoms and health risks
Al-Bizri said short-term symptoms appear quickly after direct exposure
and include skin irritation, rashes, and itching, eye irritation with
burning and temporary blurred vision, and respiratory irritation when
inhaling the spray, causing coughing and shortness of breath.
He said symptoms may also include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in
cases of accidental ingestion, along with headaches, fatigue, and
general weakness, adding that such effects are more dangerous in
children.
He said chronic exposure has been linked to higher rates of lymphoma,
blood and blood cell disorders, hormonal disruptions affecting
fertility, growth, pregnancy, and overall hormonal balance, as well as
potential effects on the nervous system, such as chronic headaches,
impaired concentration, and neurological fatigue, and possible links to
certain neurological disorders.
While the substance is not immediately lethal, he said, it poses a real
health and environmental risk with repeated, unregulated exposure, given
its adverse effects on human, animal, and plant health, as well as on
ecological balance in general.
Scientific and legal files under Foreign Ministry supervision
The Foreign Ministry has begun procedures to document Israeli attacks
involving the spraying of toxic substances and pesticides on
agricultural land and orchards in several Lebanese villages.
In a statement, the ministry said it would coordinate with the
agriculture, environment, and public health ministries, as well as
scientific and research bodies, to prepare a comprehensive scientific
and legal file documenting the violations.
The file will identify the substances used and verify whether they
violate international law by comparing them with lists of
internationally prohibited materials under relevant conventions and
treaties.
It will also document affected areas and assess the health,
environmental, and agricultural damage resulting from their use,
including impacts on humans, soil, vegetation, and water resources.
Once the file is completed, the Foreign Ministry will submit a formal
complaint to the United Nations Security Council against Israel.
Source: https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5237550-lebanon-israel-sprayed-glyphosate-along-southern-border
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