Towns and villages in southern Lebanon are being levelled by Israeli demolitions, satellite images and videos obtained by BBC Verify reveal. BBC Verify analysis found more than 1,400 buildings had been destroyed since 2 March based on verified visual evidence. This is just a snapshot of the overall damage caused by Israeli air strikes and demolitions, because of limited access on the ground and available satellite imagery, with the true scale likely to be much higher. Israel's demolitions follow Defence Minister Israel Katz's directive on 22 March to accelerate the destruction of nearby Lebanese homes, modeled after actions in Gaza, as part of a campaign against Hezbollah. Legal experts confirmed this systematic demolition may amount to a war crime. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) assert compliance with the law of armed conflict and that destruction is only permitted for military necessity. However, critics argue that the extensive nature of these demolitions raises serious legal and humanitarian concerns. As the situation escalates, more than 1.2 million people are reported displaced, with the conflict resulting in over 2,000 casualties in Lebanon alone.