Amnesty International Calls for War Crimes Probe of Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

Amnesty International investigated three Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on 6 March, 12 March and 13 March 2026 – targeting residential areas in the Tyre, Sidon and Nabatieh districts. The attacks killed 24 civilians, including 12 children, six women (one pregnant) and six men, and wounded at least 18 others.

Based on interviews with 15 survivors, relatives, medics and journalists, as well as satellite imagery, photographs and videos, Amnesty concluded it has “reasonable grounds to determine that Israeli forces violated international humanitarian law” by failing to distinguish civilians from military targets, directing attacks at civilian objects and not taking all feasible precautions to minimise civilian harm. Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said, “Within the space of just a week – the Israeli military obliterated entire families, including a dozen children, in Lebanon, demonstrating a callous disregard for civilian lives.”

Amnesty urges an immediate, independent inquiry into the strikes as possible war crimes, calling for a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, the use of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction, and for Lebanese authorities to grant the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over crimes committed on their territory. The organization warned that the recent US‑brokered Israel‑Lebanon agreement could become another obstacle to justice.

Israel’s defence ministry said some of the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah military objectives while others remain under review, and affirmed a commitment to mitigate civilian harm. Since the conflict’s escalation on 2 March, the Lebanese government reports 4,257 deaths, including more than 250 children.