How Israel's war on Lebanon's water has become existential

Israel's ongoing war has transformed into a fight for the very essence of Lebanon's water supply, posing an existential threat to the southern region. The conflict has left water infrastructure in ruins, leaving residents questioning if life can ever return to normal. Insaf Faour, a resident of Debaal, witnessed a drone-like object strike a water pumping station where she and her granddaughter lived in August 2026.

The attack resulted in severe injuries, including severed tendons and shrapnel wounds, for Bahij Abdallah, an employee of the South Lebanon Water Establishment (SLWE). The facility's damage was primarily structural, with the station continuing to operate but being deemed unsafe for return. Over 823,000 people have returned to southern Lebanon since the fragile ceasefire, but water and electricity remain the most essential missing services.

The SLWE has suffered significant losses, with 26 employees killed and its subscriber base reduced by a third. The state utility's assessment of the damage notes 175 damaged reservoirs, 16 pumping stations, 124 wells, and over 2,500 kilometers of pipe destroyed, totaling more than $550 million in costs and affecting over 700,000 people.

Restoring these systems will take years and requires substantial electricity, which is currently limited by damaged generators. The story of Lebanon's water crisis stretches back a century, as Israel has long sought to exploit and destroy the region's water resources.