Israeli army destroys three schools in southern Lebanon, minister says

At least 20 schools have now been completely destroyed in Lebanon" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="6972" data-entity-type="location">Southern Lebanon, with 100 more damaged.The Israeli military has looted and destroyed three schools in Lebanon" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="6972" data-entity-type="location">Southern Lebanon, according to the country’s education minister.Israel “looted” the schools before using explosives to reduce them into “piles of ashes”, Education and Higher Education Minister Rima Karami said in a statement carried by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) on Friday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3What are the obstacles to peace between Israel and Lebanon?list 2 of 3Syria seizes advanced weapons it says were bound for Lebanon’s Hezbollahlist 3 of 3‘Destroyed my whole life’: Lebanese families wiped out in Israeli attacksend of listKarami said the schools had been added to the growing list of educational institutions destroyed during the conflict.The fighting in Lebanon escalated into a full-scale war in March after months of cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah following the start of the Gaza genocide in October 2023. Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah.The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in June that 17 schools in Lebanon had been destroyed in Lebanon and more than 100 damaged. The latest demolitions bring the number of destroyed schools to at least 20.About 500,000 Lebanese children remain out of school because of the conflict, according to UNESCO, which warns that prolonged interruptions to education can have lasting consequences for children’s development and wellbeing.The destruction of Lebanon’s schools and education system is taking place “before the eyes of the entire world”, Karami said, despite international commitments to protect schools during armed conflict.She called on the international community to pressure Israel to halt attacks on educational institutions and safeguard schools from military operations.