Lebanese firefighters and residents have accused the Israeli military of deliberately starting wildfires across southern Lebanon, alleging that drones, incendiary bombs, and white phosphorus shells have been used to set fire to forests, olive groves, and agricultural land since a ceasefire took effect on 17 June. Hussein Fakih, head of civil defence in the Nabatieh region, said that when crews attempted to extinguish flames near Khiam — a town in the south of the country — a drone struck close by, forcing them to withdraw, and estimated that fires have affected 30–40% of land near the frontline. Environmental groups have described the pattern as "ecocide," warning that the destruction of long-established woodlands threatens biodiversity and, by rendering land uninhabitable and erasing livelihoods, amounts to a broader transformation of the territory itself; the Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment.