Laboratory tests have identified the chemical sprayed by Israeli aircraft in southern Lebanon as glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that can destroy vegetation when applied intensively, Lebanon’s agriculture minister, Nizar Hani, told Asharq Al-Awsat, saying the substance was used at abnormally high concentrations along the border with Israel.
The spraying of unidentified chemical substances by Israeli aircraft has triggered widespread condemnation.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun denounced “in the strongest terms the Israeli aircraft’s spraying of toxic pesticides on farmland and orchards in several southern border villages.”
He described the act as “a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an environmental and health crime against Lebanese citizens and their land, and a continuation of Israel’s repeated attacks on Lebanon and its people.”
Aoun said the practices, which target agricultural land and citizens’ livelihoods and threaten public health and the environment, require the international community and relevant United Nations bodies to assume their responsibilities to halt the attacks and protect Lebanese sovereignty.
He said he had asked the Foreign Ministry to prepare a documented file, in coordination with the agriculture, environment, and public health ministries, as a prelude to taking all necessary legal and diplomatic steps, including filing complaints with relevant international forums.
High-concentration glyphosate
Lebanese authorities launched an investigation into the substances and subjected samples to scientific testing.
Hani said laboratory results showed the sprayed material was glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide marketed in many countries, but added that it had been applied at “extremely high concentrations, exceeding normal levels by about 20%-30%.”
He said glyphosate, like other herbicides, eliminates vegetation when used at such high levels, directly affecting soil and water and causing negative repercussions for human health.
He noted that the substance is classified as having carcinogenic effects and poses serious risks, particularly to agriculture and plant ecosystems.
Hani said the incident was consistent with known practices along the border, where such substances are used to create vegetation-free zones, effectively resulting in systematic desertification.
State measures: reports and an international file
Hani said the Agriculture Ministry immediately initiated the required procedures and prepared official reports to be submitted to the Foreign Ministry, which will determine the appropriate course of action, including filing complaints or submitting reports to the UN.
He recalled that the ministry had previously prepared a detailed report in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization on agricultural damage caused by Israeli attacks, quantifying direct losses as well as indirect losses linked to production and farming seasons. The report was formally submitted to the Foreign Ministry for the necessary steps to be taken.
Health implications
The use of the substance also carries health consequences. Abdul Rahman Al-Bizri, a member of parliament’s health committee, told Asharq Al-Awsat that glyphosate is a chemical herbicide widely used worldwide to eliminate unwanted weeds.
He condemned spraying the substance in populated civilian areas and on land containing fruit-bearing crops essential for food, noting that glyphosate works by disrupting an enzyme plants need for growth, causing them to wither and die within a short period.
Al-Bizri said the conventional use of the substance is limited to roadside areas or the removal of unwanted vegetation.
Spraying it in these locations, he said, could fall within attempts to remove vegetation for military and security purposes, as well as render land unsuitable for agricultural use in the near term, hindering residents’ return.
Scientific debate and aerial spraying
Al-Bizri pointed to the scientific controversy surrounding the substance, noting that glyphosate is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” in addition to its direct and indirect health effects, particularly with repeated or uncontrolled exposure.
He said one of the most dangerous aspects was aerial spraying, a method rarely used for such substances because of its high risks, as it can reach food crops, water sources, and residential areas. He said what is happening appears to be deliberate spraying of the inhabited regions and food crops.
Symptoms and health risks
Al-Bizri said short-term symptoms appear quickly after direct exposure and include skin irritation, rashes, and itching, eye irritation with burning and temporary blurred vision, and respiratory irritation when inhaling the spray, causing coughing and shortness of breath.
He said symptoms may also include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in cases of accidental ingestion, along with headaches, fatigue, and general weakness, adding that such effects are more dangerous in children.
He said chronic exposure has been linked to higher rates of lymphoma, blood and blood cell disorders, hormonal disruptions affecting fertility, growth, pregnancy, and overall hormonal balance, as well as potential effects on the nervous system, such as chronic headaches, impaired concentration, and neurological fatigue, and possible links to certain neurological disorders.
While the substance is not immediately lethal, he said, it poses a real health and environmental risk with repeated, unregulated exposure, given its adverse effects on human, animal, and plant health, as well as on ecological balance in general.
Scientific and legal files under Foreign Ministry supervision
The Foreign Ministry has begun procedures to document Israeli attacks involving the spraying of toxic substances and pesticides on agricultural land and orchards in several Lebanese villages.
In a statement, the ministry said it would coordinate with the agriculture, environment, and public health ministries, as well as scientific and research bodies, to prepare a comprehensive scientific and legal file documenting the violations.
The file will identify the substances used and verify whether they violate international law by comparing them with lists of internationally prohibited materials under relevant conventions and treaties.
It will also document affected areas and assess the health, environmental, and agricultural damage resulting from their use, including impacts on humans, soil, vegetation, and water resources.
Once the file is completed, the Foreign Ministry will submit a formal complaint to the United Nations Security Council against Israel.
