Lebanon’s PM Condemns Israel’s ‘Scorched-Earth Policy’ as Ceasefire Collapses
Escalating strikes and mass displacement threaten US-brokered diplomatic efforts as Israeli operations intensify across southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of pursuing a ‘scorched-earth policy and collective punishment’ on 30 May, as intensifying military operations across southern Lebanon push the April ceasefire framework toward collapse.
The sharp diplomatic escalation follows weeks of sustained Israeli strikes that have killed at least 19 people and wounded 58 in recent days, including the first attack on Beirut in three weeks, per Al Jazeera. Salam’s televised address marks the strongest condemnation yet from Lebanon’s government, warning that Israeli actions are “destroying towns and villages, and forcing their inhabitants into exile.”
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Ceasefire Architecture Unraveling
The US-brokered Ceasefire that took effect 16 April was extended for 45 days on 15 May, with the fourth round of negotiations scheduled for 2-3 June. But Israeli operations have continued unabated throughout the nominal pause, including deployment of five IDF divisions occupying southern Lebanese territory and systematic destruction of critical infrastructure.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz ordered the destruction of all bridges across the Litani River in March, severing north-south connections and isolating southern communities. At least six to eight major crossings have been demolished, according to JNS. The systematic targeting extends to healthcare facilities—Hiram Hospital in Tyre sustained damage to operating rooms, electrical systems, and medical staff quarters in strikes on 23 May.
“This will bring neither security nor stability to Israel.”
— Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon
The Israeli military issued 16 fresh evacuation orders on 24 May, directing residents in southern Lebanon to move north of the Zahrani River—a line 40 kilometres from the border. A UN human rights report documented that evacuation orders now cover approximately 14 percent of Lebanese territory, encompassing 189 towns and villages, and may constitute forced displacement under international law.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The scale of civilian displacement represents one of the largest forced population movements in Lebanon’s recent history. More than one million people—over 20 percent of the country’s population—have been driven from their homes since the conflict began 2 March.
Economic destruction compounds the humanitarian toll. Israeli strikes have destroyed 800 hectares of agricultural land and killed 34,000 head of livestock, per This Is Beirut. Local farmers in affected areas report 75 percent income losses, creating what Prime Minister Salam has termed an agricultural disaster zone.
The Lebanon-Israel conflict erupted 2 March 2026 following Hezbollah attacks after Iran’s assassination by US-Israeli forces on 28 February. The violence is nested within the broader Iran-Israel war, with Tehran conditioning its own ceasefire participation on resolution of the Lebanon front. Lebanon’s fragile government faces the dual challenge of managing mass displacement while its economy teeters and energy infrastructure crumbles under sustained bombardment.
Diplomatic Gamble Faces Test
Prime Minister Salam defended continued diplomatic engagement as “the least costly path for our country and our people” even as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced forces were advancing deeper into Lebanese territory. The contradiction between ceasefire negotiations and ground reality places Lebanon’s government in an increasingly untenable position.
President Joseph Aoun separately condemned “continuing violations, as do demolitions of homes and places of worship, while the number of killed and wounded rises day after day,” according to documentation of the ceasefire agreement. The statements signal growing frustration within Lebanon’s political leadership as the gap widens between diplomatic frameworks and military facts on the ground.
- Israeli operations continue despite April ceasefire extension, with systematic infrastructure destruction
- Evacuation orders now cover 14% of Lebanese territory, potentially constituting forced displacement
- Fourth round of US-brokered talks scheduled for 2-3 June as violence intensifies
- Agricultural sector faces 75% income losses from land destruction and livestock deaths
Regional Spillover Risk
The Lebanon front remains tied to broader Iran-Israel ceasefire negotiations, creating cascade risks across the region. Iran has conditioned its participation in wider de-escalation on resolution of the Lebanon conflict, linking multiple theatres in a complex diplomatic matrix that US mediators are struggling to manage.
The systematic destruction of bridges, agricultural land, and civilian infrastructure suggests Israeli operations aim not merely at tactical military objectives but at long-term demographic and economic transformation of southern Lebanon. Whether intentional policy or accumulated effect, the result reshapes the territory in ways that complicate any future withdrawal or normalisation.
What to Watch
The 2-3 June negotiating round will test whether US mediators can salvage the ceasefire framework or if Lebanon’s government abandons diplomatic channels as ineffective. Watch for potential shifts in Beirut’s rhetoric if talks fail—particularly whether Salam maintains support for negotiations or pivots toward more confrontational postures. The displacement figures bear monitoring as a leading indicator: if the one million internally displaced begins growing rapidly, it signals Israel is expanding operations rather than consolidating positions. Energy infrastructure damage will determine Lebanon’s economic viability through the coming months—the country’s fragile grid cannot sustain sustained bombardment of generation and transmission assets. Finally, Iran’s negotiating position on its own ceasefire may harden if Lebanon becomes a clear demonstration that US-brokered agreements lack enforcement mechanisms.