Israeli soldiers have been accused of widespread looting of civilian property in southern Lebanon , with commanders failing to intervene, according to soldiers and officers. Troops taking part in the invasion of Lebanon have stolen significant amounts of property from local homes and businesses, including motorcycles, televisions, paintings, sofas and rugs, in what has become a routine practice, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported . Both senior and junior commanders on the ground are said to be aware of the behaviour but have not taken disciplinary measures to stop it, as Israeli troops ransack the homes of Lebanese forced to flee the invasion. Haaretz also reported that military police checkpoints previously established at exits from southern Lebanon to prevent theft have been removed in some areas, and in others, no cordons were ever established, leaving Israeli soldiers to loot at will.
"It's on a crazy scale," an unnamed soldier told Haaretz . "Anyone who takes something – televisions, cigarettes, tools, whatever – immediately puts it in their vehicle or leaves it off to the side, not inside the army base, but it's not hidden. Everyone sees it and understands." According to the report, some commanders have deliberately refrained from publicly addressing the looting, while others criticise the behaviour but stop short of punishing those responsible. Soldiers told Haaretz that the looting is not part of any official Israeli military policy, but warned that it has spread due to a lack of enforcement, with comparisons to drawn to the theft committed by Israeli reservists during the ongoing war in Gaza . The report further suggests that the scale of looting has increased during the current offensive in southern Lebanon due to changes in the nature of the fighting, with soldiers spending extended periods in abandoned civilian areas, such as villages and towns whose residents fled before troops arrived. Following the publication of the report, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly ordered a Military Police investigation into the alleged looting by soldiers in Lebanon. He also instructed that Military Police presence be reinforced at all entry and exit points along the border and ordered thorough inspections of all vehicles entering and leaving the combat zone. In response, the Israeli military said it takes disciplinary and criminal measures where necessary, adding that military police conduct inspections "at the northern border crossing as forces exit combat". "The military views any harm to civilian property and acts of looting with utmost severity and unequivocally prohibits them. Any allegation or suspicion of such acts is thoroughly examined and addressed with the full weight of the law. In cases where sufficient evidence is established, disciplinary and criminal measures are taken, including prosecution," the statement added. Rights groups have often highlighted that the Israeli army rarely takes serious action against soldiers accused of offences, including cases of killing and sexually abusing detainees and civilians.
The report comes as US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend their fragile ceasefire by three weeks, despite deadly Israeli strikes continuing. Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks have killed more than 2,400 people and injured around 7,700 others since the Iran-backed group Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the regional conflict on 2 March. Despite the truce, which began last Friday, Israeli forces have continued to demolish and detonate homes in southern Lebanese towns under their control, according to Lebanese officials. Data released on Wednesday by Lebanon’s National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) indicated that Israeli attacks during the latest conflict have damaged or destroyed more than 62,000 housing units across the country.