Israel struck a main bridge linking Lebanon’s south to the rest of the country on Sunday, March 22, after ordering its military to destroy all crossings over the Litani River and to step up the demolition of homes near the southern border.
The destruction of bridges and homes marks a significant escalation in Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, which was pulled into the regional war on March 2 when armed group Hezbollah fired into Israeli territory.
International law generally prohibits militaries from attacking civilian infrastructure, and the United Nations human rights chief has criticised Israel’s actions in Lebanon, particularly its use of widespread evacuation orders that have displaced more than a million people.
Sunday’s strike damaged a crossing on Lebanon’s coastal highway that runs through farmland and is one of the main routes linking southern and central Lebanon.
