Israeli forces occupied several schools in southern Lebanon during the conflict with the Shia Resistance Hezbollah and, in at least two cases, appear to have “purposefully damaged and vandalized” school property, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Wednesday. The organization described these actions as war crimes.

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“Many border villages have been devastated. In the few where school buildings remain intact, at least two were looted by Israeli forces,” said Ramzi Kaiss, HRW’s Lebanon researcher, in a statement.

“By looting schools, Israel has jeopardized Lebanese children’s right to education,” he added.

HRW documented damage to at least seven educational facilities in border towns such as Naqoura, Yarine, and Aita al Shaab. The organization stated that there is evidence some of these buildings were used as military bases during and after the fighting.

At Naqoura Secondary School, HRW found Hebrew graffiti dated after the November 2024 ceasefire, suggesting that Israeli troops continued occupying the school grounds weeks after the truce.

According to UNICEF, over 100 schools in southern Lebanon have been destroyed or severely damaged since October 2023. As a result, tens of thousands of Lebanese students have lost access to education.

Despite the ceasefire, Tel Aviv’s regime has continued to carry out attacks in Lebanon, mainly targeting the south. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claims these strikes are aimed at Hezbollah fighters or the group’s infrastructure, although several civic structures have been targeted.

In response to a letter from HRW, the IDF acknowledged that it sometimes operates from civilian buildings “due to operational necessity,” and dismissed the reported vandalism as “exceptional incidents.”

“The right to education for thousands of children is at risk,” Kaiss warned. “Rebuilding the schools is urgent—but so is ensuring accountability for the abuses committed.”

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