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UN Says Israeli Strikes in Lebanon, Hezbollah Rockets Into Israel May Breach International Law
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 24, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 24, 2026
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The UN rights office warns that Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s unguided rockets into Israel may violate international humanitarian law, citing civilian deaths and journalist casualties. A ceasefire extension has been announced amid growing pressure for accountability.
UN Warns Israeli Strikes, Hezbollah Rockets May Breach International Law
By Olivia Le Poidevin
UN Human Rights Office Documents Possible Violations in Lebanon and Israel
GENEVA, April 24 (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights office said on Friday it has documented patterns of attacks on civilians in populated areas and residential buildings in Lebanon and Israel that may amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law.
The report covers the first three weeks of the latest escalation, which began after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on March 2, prompting Israel to respond with a large‑scale military offensive.
Since then, nearly 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities, amid widespread displacement and heavy damage to civilian infrastructure. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a three-week extension to a ceasefire.
The Israeli military and Hezbollah did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment about the report.
Patterns of Attacks and Civilian Impact
Residential Buildings Struck, OHCHR Says
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS STRUCK, OHCHR SAYS
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights documented several cases in which Israeli strikes hit, and in some instances destroyed, multi‑storey residential buildings, killing entire families in Lebanon, which may constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said.
Example: Sir el‑Gharbiyeh Strike
The report cited the example of an Israeli strike on March 8 that hit a multi‑storey residential building in the town of Sir el‑Gharbiyeh, in the Nabatiyeh governorate. The strike killed at least 13 civilians inside the building, including five women, five men, two boys and a girl.
The office said incidents such as this raised concerns about compliance with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack under international humanitarian law.
Hezbollah Rocket Attacks and Civilian Infrastructure
The report also said the OHCHR had found Hezbollah was firing unguided rockets that lacked the precision required to strike specific military targets, and damaged buildings and other civilian infrastructure in Israel, which likely violated international humanitarian law.
While the office noted that notifications, including blanket evacuation warnings, had been issued by Israeli forces before some strikes in Lebanon, it identified cases in which warnings were either not given, were ineffective, or prevented many civilians from evacuating safely.
Attacks on Journalists and Humanitarian Concerns
Warning After Journalist Killed
WARNING AFTER JOURNALIST KILLED
Meanwhile, the OHCHR also said on Friday that attacks on journalists could amount to war crimes if they were deliberate.
Incident Involving Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj
An Israeli strike on Wednesday killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured photographer Zeinab Faraj, who was accompanying her in southern Lebanon.
Rescue teams, including the Lebanese Red Cross, faced obstruction by the Israeli military when trying to reach them, Lebanon's health ministry said.
"This included the use of a sound grenade and live fire targeting an ambulance, delaying access to the site," Al-Kheetan added.
Israeli Military Response
The Israeli military said the Israeli Air Force troops struck a vehicle and a structure after two vehicles in southern Lebanon were identified as leaving a Hezbollah military site, and crossed the Forward Defence Line, which posed an immediate threat.
It received reports that two journalists were injured, the army said, but it did not prevent rescue teams from reaching the area. The army does not deliberately target journalists or medical teams and the incident is under review, it added.
(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva; Additional reporting by Maya Gbeily in Beirut; Editing by Alison Williams)
Key Takeaways
- •OHCHR documented strikes by Israel that hit multi‑storey residential buildings in Lebanon—such attacks may breach the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions under international law. (ungeneva.org)
- •Hezbollah’s use of unguided rockets lacking precision harmed civilians and infrastructure in Israel, raising serious concerns under international humanitarian law. (amnesty.org)
- •The killing of journalist Amal Khalil and injury to photographer Zeinab Faraj in southern Lebanon, with reported obstruction of rescue efforts, may amount to a war crime, prompting demands for independent investigations. (apnews.com)
References
- Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue to kill civilians, UN rights office warns | The United Nations Office at Geneva
- Israel: Hezbollah’s use of inherently inaccurate weapons to launch unlawful attacks violates international law - Amnesty International
- Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil killed in Israeli strike on a house where she took cover, paper says
Frequently Asked Questions about UN says Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Hezbollah rockets into Israel may breach international law
1What did the UN report say about Israeli strikes in Lebanon?
The UN documented Israeli strikes on residential buildings in Lebanon, some causing entire family deaths, which may violate international humanitarian law.
2How did Hezbollah's rocket attacks affect Israel according to the UN?
Hezbollah fired unguided rockets lacking precision, causing damage to civilian infrastructure in Israel and likely breaching international law.
3Did the UN mention civilian warnings before Israeli strikes?
The UN noted some warnings were issued before strikes, but also cited cases where warnings were absent, ineffective, or hindered evacuation.
4What incident involving journalists did the UN highlight?
The UN reported an Israeli strike killed journalist Amal Khalil and injured a photographer; attacks on journalists could be war crimes if deliberate.
5How many people have been killed in Lebanon during the escalation?
According to Lebanese authorities, nearly 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon since the recent escalation began.
