Authorities in Lebanon have reported that Israeli aircraft dispersed a herbicide over villages in the south, with levels deemed hazardous to the environment and food supply, prompting worries about the potential consequences.

According to the ministries of agriculture and environment, lab results identified the substance as glyphosate, a chemical commonly used for weed control, with some samples showing concentrations that exceeded acceptable limits by a factor of 20 to 30.

In a statement, President Joseph Aoun denounced the aerial dispersion of what he termed "harmful chemicals", asserting that this action constituted a breach of Lebanon's sovereignty and a threat to both the environment and public health.

When contacted by the BBC, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declined to provide a comment on the incident.

The motivations behind the alleged herbicide release over the villages remain unknown at this time.

In the aftermath of a ceasefire that ended the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2022, residents of several border villages have reported incidents of spraying, sparking concerns over the potential impact on the environment and local communities.

Prior to the spraying, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon received notification from Israel regarding the planned aerial activity near the border, prompting the peacekeepers to take precautionary measures and seek shelter.

As a result, the UN peacekeepers were forced to adjust their operational schedule, cancelling certain activities as a precaution. This incident is not an isolated event, as Israeli forces have previously been known to discharge unidentified substances over Lebanese airspace.

According to Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher at Human Rights Watch in Lebanon, the ongoing displacement of tens of thousands of people following the 2023-24 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah poses significant challenges for those seeking to return home, with the recent spraying incident exacerbating these difficulties.

Kaiss emphasized that the affected areas are largely agricultural, with crops such as olives and tobacco being major sources of income, and that this incident further complicates the process of rebuilding and recovering from the devastation caused by the conflict, making it harder for people to regain their livelihoods and return to their homes.

The repercussions of such incidents extend beyond local environmental damage, posing significant economic threats to Lebanon's agricultural industry as a whole.

A report released by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization in April 2025 estimated that the 2024 conflict resulted in over $700m (£515m; 600m euros) in damages and losses to Lebanon's agricultural sector, with the south and the Bekaa Valley being particularly affected.

Concerns have also been raised by environmental organizations, including Green Southerners in Lebanon, regarding the potential consequences for agricultural output and soil quality.

According to a statement posted on Instagram by the group, the use of certain substances can further harm already vulnerable ecosystems, previously damaged by white phosphorus, and poses considerable risks to insect populations and natural pollinators, ultimately compromising biodiversity, food security, and the livelihoods of local communities.

However, opinions on the risks associated with glyphosate are not uniformly aligned, indicating a lack of consensus on the issue.

According to the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, the substance in question is deemed "probably carcinogenic to humans" due to its association with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In contrast, other regulatory agencies, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency and the European Food Safety Authority, have determined that it is unlikely to have carcinogenic effects on humans.

Lebanon's foreign ministry has announced plans to file an official complaint with the UN Security Council against Israel.