Israeli strikes hinder reconstruction and water supply in South Lebanon
Human Rights Watch and UN officials say Israeli attacks on construction equipment and water infrastructure have stalled rebuilding efforts and kept thousands of displaced families from returning to their homes in southern Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes on construction equipment and water facilities in southern Lebanon have severely limited reconstruction, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW) and United Nations officials.
HRW researcher Ramzi Kaiss said locals avoided using bulldozers and excavators after the strikes, fearing that the presence of heavy machinery could attract further attacks. UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesperson Kandice Ardiel noted that targeting of construction equipment has impeded rubble removal and broader repair work, preventing displaced residents from returning.
HRW’s December 2025 investigation documented four attacks on heavy-machinery showrooms, maintenance facilities and a cement-asphalt factory between August and October 2025, destroying more than 360 pieces of equipment. The organization found no evidence that the sites were being used for military purposes, though it confirmed civilian uses for some of the machinery.
The destruction extends to critical water infrastructure. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that attacks on wells, pumps, generators, filtration units and pipelines continued after the April 2025 ceasefire, leaving many villages without reliable water. MSF project coordinator Charlene Silvin described damaged boreholes, storage tanks and solar panels across the Bint Jbeil area, forcing the organization to install temporary plastic tanks or repair filtration units directly.
Local officials in Jabal Amel said about 6,500 displaced families remain unable to return to a dozen villages inside the Israeli-declared “Yellow Line,” a restricted military zone that hampers access to repair sites. UNIFIL reported that peacekeepers often have to clear berms and other obstacles before they can bring in equipment to fix water wells.
The ongoing threat of further strikes has led many residents to adopt temporary solutions, such as truck-delivered water, which MSF describes as insufficient for long-term needs. Ardiel observed that even after the 2024 fighting, rebuilt structures have been destroyed again, underscoring the challenges facing the recovery process.