Soldiers and commanders in the Israeli army have admitted to Israeli newspaper Haaretz having committed large-scale and systematic looting of civilian property in southern Lebanon.
According to the Israeli newspaper, the stolen items include televisions, motorcycles, paintings, carpets, and household furniture. The reports also point to accusations that military unit commanders have turned a blind eye to the phenomenon, and are choosing not to impose disciplinary measures.
Israel’s assault on Lebanon has displaced more than one million people and killed over 2,400 others. On April 8, Israel struck 100 targets across the country in just 10 minutes.
Soldiers describe their looting campaigns as routine, with many of them openly carrying stolen property on military vehicles as they leave Lebanese territory without attempting to conceal it.
Another soldier admitted that some commanders are aware of the looting but choose to ignore it. Others condemn it but still refrain from punishing those involved.
The soldier also recounted a recent incident in which a commander caught troops leaving in a jeep with stolen goods. The commander shouted at them, and while he ordered them to dispose of the items, no investigation opened.
Soldiers attributed the expansion of the phenomenon to feelings of impunity linked to the removal of some military police checkpoints which intended to monitor troops at exit points, with no alternative oversight points established elsewhere.
The Israeli army told the media these actions are strictly prohibited and subject to disciplinary and criminal procedures when necessary, adding that military police carry out inspections at northern crossing points, according to Haaretz. However, one soldier appeared to refute the army’s messaging and underscored that there is no real accountability.
Some soldiers linked the phenomenon to what they describe as the “prolonged fighting” since Israel began its ongoing genocide on October 7, 2023—and to reluctance to involve the IDF Military Police Criminal Investigation Division in probing alleged looting by reserve soldiers.
One soldier told Haaretz that with discipline declining among reservists who have served over 500 days in duty, commanders choose not to avoid reprimanding soldiers. They believe that doing so ensures soldiers will return for future tours.
Israel has divided southern Lebanon into three zones: the “red line,” the first row of villages directly on the Lebanese-Israeli border; the “yellow line,” extending 6 to 10 kilometers from the border; and the third line, reaching the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the border.
According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli army is working to structure areas in southern Lebanon during the ceasefire period similarly to Gaza. It noted that the army continues operations in the yellow line zone, and that 55 Lebanese villages in the area have been evacuated.
The newspaper added that most buildings there have already been destroyed, and that there are no longer any members of Hezbollah in the area. In some locations, Israeli ground forces have established fixed positions.
