On November 23, 2025, the densely packed neighborhood of Haret Hreik in Beirut’s southern suburb, Dahieh, was rocked by a deadly Israeli airstrike. The attack, which killed Hezbollah’s acting chief of staff Haytham Ali Tabtabai and five others, sent plumes of dust and debris through the streets, leaving families scrambling to rescue the injured from the rubble. According to eyewitnesses, scenes of panic unfolded as neighbors rushed to help, while hospitals became overwhelmed by the influx of wounded, with many children reported in critical condition.
This latest strike is far from an isolated incident. Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire signed in November 2024, Israel has launched multiple attacks on Dahieh—on March 28, April 1, April 27, and again on June 5, 2025. The November 23 airstrike, however, stands out for its deadly consequences and the international uproar it has provoked. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned these repeated strikes. As Amnesty stated, the attacks are “a clear violation of the laws of war,” emphasizing the disproportionate harm inflicted on civilians. The principle of distinction, a cornerstone of international humanitarian law requiring military operations to target only combatants and military objectives, seems to be under severe strain.
For the residents of Dahieh and much of southern Lebanon, the past year has been marked by fear and uncertainty. The constant threat of bombings has ravaged homes, schools, and medical facilities. The Lebanese health ministry reports that more than 330 people have been killed and 945 injured since the ceasefire took effect on November 27, 2024. The United Nations human rights office has verified at least 127 civilian deaths in this period, with spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan highlighting the “increasing attacks by the Israeli military, resulting in the killing of civilians and destruction of civilian objects in Lebanon, coupled with alarming threats of a wider, intensified offensive.”
Last week’s Israeli strike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon was particularly devastating, killing 13 people—11 of them children. Israel claimed it was targeting Hamas terrorists allied with Hezbollah, but the UN’s Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva: “All the fatalities we have documented as a result of this strike were civilians, raising serious concerns that the Israeli military’s attack may have violated international humanitarian law principles on the conduct of hostilities.” He called for “prompt and impartial investigations into the Ain al-Hilweh strike, as well as all other incidents involving possible violations of international humanitarian law by all parties, both before and after the ceasefire.” He added pointedly, “Those responsible must be brought to justice.”
The civilian toll extends beyond the immediate casualties. Israeli attacks have destroyed and damaged vital infrastructure, severely hampering reconstruction efforts. More than 64,000 people, mainly from southern Lebanon, remain displaced after last year’s war, unable to return to their homes. “They have also severely hampered reconstruction efforts and attempts by internally displaced people to go back to their homes in southern Lebanon,” Al-Kheetan remarked. The situation has been further complicated by Israel’s construction of a wall crossing into Lebanese territory, making 4,000 square meters inaccessible and impacting people’s right to return to their lands. Al-Kheetan stressed, “All those internally displaced must be able to go back to their homes, and reconstruction should be supported, not hampered.”
Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, which was intended to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah. The Lebanese government, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, has condemned the strikes as a “flagrant violation” of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701, but critics say its response has been tepid. Salam has not put forward concrete diplomatic or legal solutions, a fact that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and civil society. Many argue that Lebanon’s political fragmentation, ongoing economic crisis, and lack of a conventional military have left the government with few options to counter Israeli actions. This sense of governmental inertia has fueled public frustration, especially among southerners and residents of Dahieh, who feel abandoned by their own leaders and the international community alike.
On the other side, Israel maintains that Hezbollah is working to rebuild its military capabilities, accusing the Iran-backed group of breaking the ceasefire terms. Israeli officials insist their strikes are aimed at neutralizing threats from Hezbollah and allied Palestinian groups, such as Hamas. Yet, the mounting civilian casualties and destruction of non-military targets have raised serious questions about the proportionality and legality of Israel’s actions. Human Rights Watch has documented instances where U.S.-made JDAM guidance kits were used by Israel to attack aid workers, underscoring the role of international military support in enabling these operations. Most precision-guided munitions originate from U.S. and European shipments, raising further questions about accountability under international arms-transfer laws.
America’s involvement is particularly striking given that it brokered the very ceasefire Israel is accused of violating. By supplying weapons, fighter jets, drones, and political backing, the U.S. and other allies have been accused by rights groups of facilitating continued violations and undermining their own stated commitments to human rights. This has become a rallying cry for anti-genocide protesters across Europe, the U.S., and Australia, who demand greater accountability from their governments in the face of ongoing violence.
The United Nations has called for all parties to comply with the ceasefire “in good faith.” Yet, as Israeli strikes continue and Lebanon’s government struggles to respond, the ceasefire increasingly appears to be little more than a facade—one that allows for near total impunity when it comes to attacks on civilian areas. The UN has urged prompt and impartial investigations into all incidents involving possible violations of international law by all sides, but so far, meaningful accountability remains out of reach.
For the people of Dahieh and southern Lebanon, the reality is grim. They live with the constant threat of violence, displacement, and loss, while the international community’s attention drifts elsewhere. As one observer put it, Israel isn’t punishing the government or Hezbollah, as it claims; it’s decimating Lebanon’s southern community. The cycle of trauma, already deepened by decades of conflict, continues unabated.
Unless decisive action is taken to enforce international law and uphold the promises of the ceasefire, the suffering of Lebanon’s civilians is likely to persist—and the hope for lasting peace will remain heartbreakingly out of reach.
