Israel burns more than 120 hectares of centuries-old olive groves in southern Lebanon

❗️Israel burns more than 120 hectares of centuries-old olive groves in southern Lebanon ▪️According to L'Orient-Le Jour, Israeli occupation forces set fire to more than 120 hectares (1,200 dunams) of olive groves and fruit orchards in the occupied border town of Yaroun (Bint Jbeil District), with the blaze burning for over 36 hours. ▪️Yaroun Municipality Chairman Hafez Ghacham told L'Orient that the fire destroyed centuries-old olive trees, some more than 100 years old, while others were at least 50 years old. ▪️Because the village lies within the area occupied by Israeli forces, residents and firefighters were unable to reach the site, leaving the flames to consume the land unchecked. ▪️Ghacham described the destruction as an assault on Yaroun's history, identity, and livelihood, saying the olive groves had been passed down through generations and supported dozens of families. He estimated the destroyed land would have produced thousands of cans of olive oil, noting that each dunam yields an average of six cans, with each can worth around $150. ▪️He recalled watching the fields burn "helpless and in tears," adding that "houses can be rebuilt, but the old olive trees will take decades to return," while his 84-year-old father told him he was "more saddened by the trees than by the house." ▪️The municipality said it would submit evidence of the destruction to the United Nations, accusing Israel of targeting not only homes but also the environment, cultural heritage, and agricultural life of southern Lebanon.