‘Health crime’: Aoun slams Israel over spraying chemicals in south Lebanon

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Ali HarbFebruary 4, 2026 at 11:33 AM

AI Summary

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of committing an environmental crime on February 4, 2026, after Israeli forces sprayed an unknown substance over southern Lebanese towns. Aoun condemned the action as a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and a threat to the health and environment of Lebanese citizens, ordering diplomatic and legal measures in response. UNIFIL peacekeepers reported being informed by the Israeli military about the spraying of a "non-toxic chemical substance," which led to the suspension of their operations for nine hours. UNIFIL and the Lebanese army collected samples of the substance for toxicity testing. Aoun stated that the incident is a continuation of repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon, despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024. He called on the international community and the UN to intervene and stop the attacks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Antonio Guterres 40% Hezbollah 50% Stephane Dujarric 50% UN 60% United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ×370% Joseph Aoun ×290% Lebanon ×790% Israel ×690%

Keywords

environmental crime 90% israeli aggression 80% violation of sovereignty 70% toxic substance 70% south lebanon 70% health crime 60% agricultural lands 50% unifil 50% ceasefire agreement 40%