Country: Lebanon Source: Médecins Sans Frontières 07 September 2026 – Without water, there can be no return. Across Southern Lebanon, Israeli military has damaged and destroyed water infrastructure and continues to do so, effectively preventing families from rebuilding their lives and turning a basic human need into an obstacle to recovery. Since March, Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon have left a new trail of devastation, compounding the damage and hardships caused since the September 2024 escalation. Although a ceasefire has been in place since mid-April, attacks have continued, and several villages along the southern border have become inaccessible because they are located in areas occupied by the Israeli military. Nobody lives in there anymore. Adjacent to them, lays a second line of devastated villages, where some families have made the difficult decision to return despite immense challenges. “When we travel through the villages of southern Lebanon, one issue comes up everywhere we go. Before people ask about healthcare, education, or housing, they ask about water,” says Charlene Silvin, MSF Project Coordinator in Lebanon MSF teams have visited many of these communities and have witnessed the damage first-hand. A pattern repeats itself in every village. Israeli direct and indirect attacks have damaged historic buildings, places of worship, healthcare facilities, homes, and essential infrastructure. Water and electricity systems have been particularly affected. In every location MSF visited, solar panels powering water infrastructure had been struck or damaged, disrupting the systems that communities rely on every day. This alarming pattern shows a recurrent attempt to damage and destroy infrastructure that communities depend on to access water, a basic need. What stands out most is that the damage does not affect just one piece of infrastructure. It affects the entire water ecosystem. Wells, pumps, filtration units, storage tanks, generators, pipelines, and solar-powered systems have all been impacted. When one component is destroyed, the entire system stops functioning, leaving people without a reliable access to a resource that is indispensable for survival and recovery. The result of this damage impact people’s daily lives, health, dignity and the ability to remain or return to their communities. The consequences extend far beyond infrastructure. Water is not only needed for drinking. It is essential for cooking, washing, sanitation, and every aspect of daily life. It is also critical for agriculture, which remains the primary livelihood for many families in southern Lebanon. When water systems fail, both households and local economies suffer. In Yater for example, the community water tank was directly hit and damaged beyond repair. To ensure people could still access water, MSF teams provided temporary plastic storage tanks while a longer-term solution is developed. While, in Froun, the tank was damaged beyond repair, so the teams repaired the water filtration unit and connected it directly to the water source, bypassing the damaged infrastructure. “As I speak with returning residents, I cannot ignore a difficult question they raise. These repeated attacks have caused extensive damage to water sources and other vital infrastructure. They are creating significant obstacles for people who want to return home and rebuild their lives. They ask: Why is this happening? It must be intentional,” explains Charlene. This question is legitimate. When people are deprived of water across multiple communities, the consequences trickle down beyond the water itself. The loss of access to water also undermines livelihoods, particularly for families who depend on agriculture and the land to survive. One thing is certain. Restoring water systems is a basic necessity. Yet the presence of organisations that could support people in these areas close to the so-called security zone is very limited. Efforts made by MSF are important, but they are not enough. The scale of need far exceeds the current efforts. Humanitarian organisations cannot be expected to repeatedly repair essential systems that may be attacked and destroyed again. Across Southern Lebanon, people continue to deliver a clear message: without water, there can be no return to normal life. Water is dignity, livelihoods and recovery. Above all, water is life and a basic right that Israel must respect. These repeated attacks must stop. People must be allowed back to their homes, to rebuild their livelihoods, lives and dignity. -ENDS-
MSF Lebanon: Water is life – the people of Southern Lebanon must not be punished
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