Lebanon has accused Israeli aircraft of spraying an agricultural herbicide over southern villages at concentrations authorities described as dangerously high, raising concerns for food and environmental security. The agriculture and environment ministries stated that laboratory tests confirmed the substance was glyphosate, a chemical used to destroy vegetation, with concentrations in some samples 'between 20 and 30 times the levels usually accepted.' President Joseph Aoun condemned the spraying of what he described as 'toxic substances', calling it a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an environmental and health crime. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not comment on the matter. The purpose behind the release of herbicide on the villages remains unclear. Residents in several border villages reported the spraying, which comes more than a year after a ceasefire ended a war between Israel and the Lebanese Shia Islamist group Hezbollah. Earlier in the week, United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon confirmed they had been notified by Israel of planned spraying near the border and were advised to take shelter, which forced them to cancel some planned operations. Experts warn that such incidents harm local ecosystems and have broader economic consequences for Lebanon's farming sector, as tens of thousands remain displaced following hostilities. The Lebanese foreign ministry indicated its intention to submit a formal complaint against Israel to the UN Security Council.}