"Lebanon has accused Israel of spraying a herbicide linked to cancer on farmland in the south of the country as a health crime that would threaten food security and farmers' livelihoods. The country's president, Joseph Aoun, condemned what he called an environmental and health crime and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty, and he vowed to take all necessary legal and diplomatic measures to confront this aggression."
"The latest incident allegedly took place on Sunday morning. UN peacekeepers have said they were warned by the Israeli military to remain under cover while it carried out an aerial operation to drop what they said was a non-toxic chemical substance. Videos captured light aircraft spraying extensively over agricultural areas. Lebanese authorities said that laboratory analysis identified that the spray contained glyphosate, a potent herbicide that was in 2015 classified by the World Health Organization as probably carcinogenic to humans."
"One of the world's most-widely used herbicides, glyphosate is also sprayed on many crops just before harvest to dry them out. But studies have found glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with various organs and biochemical pathways in mammals. In a joint statement, Lebanon's ministries of agriculture and the environment said some samples showed glyphosate concentrations 20 and 30 times higher than normal [use]. Its use would, they said, damage vegetation in the targeted areas, with direct repercussions on agricultural production, soil fertility and ecological balance."
Lebanon accuses Israel of spraying a herbicide linked to cancer over farmland in southern Lebanon, calling it an environmental and health crime that threatens food security and farmers' livelihoods. President Joseph Aoun denounced the action as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and pledged legal and diplomatic measures. UN peacekeepers were warned to remain under cover during an aerial operation involving chemical drops, while videos show light aircraft spraying agricultural areas. Laboratory analysis reportedly identified glyphosate, a herbicide classified in 2015 by WHO as probably carcinogenic. Lebanese ministries reported samples with glyphosate concentrations 20–30 times higher than normal, warning of damage to vegetation, production, soil fertility, and ecological balance.
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