Repeated military operations in southern Lebanon have caused significant ecological damage, particularly to fragile limestone habitats that support colonies of the Syrian rock hyrax (Procavia capensis syriaca), an animal locally known as tabsoun. Environmental experts monitoring the region warn that explosive detonations and large-scale demolitions are not only destroying human settlements but also severely impacting wildlife habitats and ecosystems that have developed over centuries.
The environmental organization Green Southerners, led by founder and president Hisham Younes, has documented the destruction of these natural rock formations, which serve as critical shelter for the rock hyrax. The species relies on karstic limestone fissures for refuge and sparse coastal vegetation for sustenance. According to Younes and his team, many colonies have seen their habitats fragmented or completely obliterated in recent months due to Israeli military activity along Lebanon’s southern coast.
One particular incident on April 30 involved a massive explosion in the Bayada neighborhood, near the border with Israel, footage of which was circulated by social media accounts associated with the Israeli army. Similar demolitions have been reported in areas including Naqoura, Majdal Zoun, and Qantara—sites previously known to host rock hyrax colonies. Satellite imagery following a large-scale detonation on June 26 in Majdal Zoun indicated substantial landscape alteration, raising concerns about the survival prospects of resident wildlife.
Research on karst environments highlights how such explosions can destabilize limestone formations through shockwaves and vibrations, leading to fractures, collapses, and blockage of subterranean networks that many species depend on. Additionally, repeated blasts release harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, along with particulate matter and residual explosive compounds. Due to the high permeability of limestone, these contaminants may rapidly disperse through groundwater and cave systems, potentially degrading water and soil quality.
Beyond physical damage, alterations in cave humidity, airflow, and temperature caused by blasts can disrupt the delicate microclimates necessary for species like the rock hyrax, which requires stable conditions for thermoregulation, breeding, and predator avoidance. The military use of white phosphorus in smoke-screening shells has also raised concerns that residues might settle in fissures, affecting both fauna and soil biota.
The cumulative impact of bombings, fires, and habitat fragmentation poses a serious threat to local biodiversity. Fragmentation isolates animal populations, weakening their ability to interact and survive within their ecosystems. The deteriorating vegetation, critical for the rock hyrax’s diet, further exacerbates the risk to the species and the broader ecological balance. A report from Lebanon’s National Council for Scientific Research has highlighted how conflict-induced biodiversity loss includes wildlife mortality, habitat displacement, and disruption of fundamental ecological processes such as pollination and seed dispersal.
Access to affected areas remains limited, making it difficult to fully assess the extent of environmental degradation. No nationwide field surveys or official evaluations of rock hyrax populations in Lebanon have been conducted recently, leaving uncertainties about local population trends.
When asked for comment, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) acknowledged their use of white phosphorus smoke-screening shells, emphasizing that such weapons are legal under international law and employed solely for creating smoke screens, not as incendiary devices. The IDF stated that it does not intentionally target wildlife and that its operations focus on military objectives while seeking to minimize harm to civilians and the environment.
While the human toll and physical destruction of war are often visible and immediate, experts argue that the enduring impact on Lebanon’s ecosystems and geological formations will prove harder to repair, with potentially lasting consequences for biodiversity well after hostilities cease.