In late January and early February 2026, Israeli agricultural aircraft sprayed chemicals on agricultural land in Quneitra, Syria. Farmers say their crops turned yellow in a few days and lost dozens of cultivable hectares. Similar accusations have been made against the Israeli army in southern Lebanon and settlers in the West Bank.

Published on: 02/13/2026 - 7:46 p.m. Modified on: 02/18/2026 - 11:08 p.m.

Several images and videos sent to the France 24 Observers editorial team show Israeli planes in flight, at low altitude, over agricultural areas of the Quneitra governorate, in southern Syria.

In certain sequences, we can clearly see a white streak behind the device, compatible with a product spraying operation. And this, while in several villages in the governorate of Quneitra, farmers claim that Israeli planes sprayed chemical substances on January 25, 27 and 30, 2026. These operations took place along the separation line with the Israeli-occupied Golan, nicknamed “Alpha Line”.

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In Syria, the Ministry of Agriculture affirmed on February 11 that samples taken in the Quneitra region did not show acute toxicity, without specifying the type of products that was used.

The Israeli channel i24News indicated on February 2 that the army was spraying herbicides "in areas near the Syrian and Lebanese border, in order to destroy vegetation under which terrorists could hide." Contacted by our editorial team, the spokesperson for the Israeli army did not respond to our requests.

An agreement concluded in 1974 between Tel Aviv and Damascus established a demilitarized buffer zone under UN control in the Golan region. Since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024, the Israeli army has built eleven military bases inside this area and in Syrian territory, including a major strategic point on Mount Hermon, providing a dominant surveillance capacity over the entire region. It is in this sector, particularly around the villages of Kodna and al-Razaniyeh, in the rural area of ​​Quneitra governorate, that deforestation and chemical spraying operations have been reported by residents.

“Ten days after the planes passed, everything was yellow, then everything died”

Abou Salah (name changed) is a farmer in the village of al-Razaniyeh in Quneitra governorate.

"On January 27, 2026, planes flew over our land and started spraying. We don't know what this substance was, but we saw the product fall on the fields. Ten days after the planes passed, everything was yellow, then everything died. I lost 75 hectares of wheat, my entire crop disappeared. We had borrowed money to cultivate this land because the previous year had been bad due to lack of rain. This year the rain was good, we thought it would be a year of compensation. Now we have lost the harvest and we still have the debts. People want their money. I don't know what to do. The Israeli occupation forces want this area to become a no-life zone, not just a no-weapons zone. But this is our land and we will not leave it. arrests. Already, I had lost sheep due to direct fire against my flock. Today, they killed our land by spraying it with toxic substances.

“The vegetation cover around Kodna has become significantly less 'healthy' from the beginning of 2025”

Contacted by our editorial staff, the director of agriculture of the governorate of Quneitra, Jamal Mohammad Ali, confirms that technical teams went to the site. According to him, Israeli planes pulverized "the entire border strip, from the northern sector to the southern sector." Samples have been taken, the results are not yet public but, according to him, "these would be general herbicides, diuron and 2,4-DP".

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According to Jamal Mohammad Ali, affected crops turn yellow, then dry out until they die, with effects continuing to spread in some plots. Local authorities estimate that around 400 hectares of cereals and 4,000 hectares of pastures are affected, depriving livestock of grazing areas and threatening farmers' livelihoods.

Spraying was also carried out around the village of Kodna. Based on satellite images published on It clearly appears that in 2026, the plant cover will be much less.

Contacted by our editorial team, He Yin, specialist in satellite imagery at Kent State University, analyzes these images:

"The clearest conclusion is that the vegetation cover around Kodna became significantly less 'healthy' from the beginning of 2025 and that this degradation continued until the beginning of 2026. In the images from February 2022 to 2024, the fields appear consistently bright red, indicating dense and vigorous vegetation. In contrast, the images from 2025 and 2026 show the same area in tints paler and brownish, with a weakened red signal, which corresponds to a decrease in vegetation density or vitality – for example more bare soil or weakened plants."

“This land was covered with trees, they cut everything down”

Hassan (name changed) was cultivating land in the affected area.

"I lost 80 hectares. Everything I sowed turned yellow. Even the olive trees started to lose their leaves. It's on my land and that of my uncle. This area was more than 2,000 hectares. It was planted with pine and almond trees. When the Israeli army entered after the fall of the Syrian regime, it cut down all the trees. This entire forest area was razed. That's why on the maps we see a large empty area. Then they pulverized. These violations took place before my eyes and I could not do anything. It is the law of the strongest against the weakest.

Hassan also documented the earthworks that took place in the Kodna forest, west of the village.

The Israeli authorities have not communicated publicly about their objectives and it is not possible to establish their strategy with certainty.

In Lebanon, similar episodes were interpreted by local officials as part of a security context linked to tensions with Hezbollah in a border area regularly marked by Israeli military operations against the Shiite organization. Two ministries have indicated that analyzes reveal the use of a high concentration herbicide, suggesting a health and environmental risk.

In the West Bank, accusations against settlers

Comparable reports have also taken place in the West Bank. In the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron, farmers say settlers sprayed chemicals in early February 2026.

Hussein Shanaran is one of those whose lands were attacked by settlers:

"At the beginning of February 2026, settlers sprayed our land by hand with pumps. A week later, on the night of February 6, 2026, I heard drones. They sprayed again, but this time, from the air. The total area is about 450 hectares. I lost 20 hectares of wheat and barley. This land belongs to me and my cousins. We grow it to produce fodder for our animals. Now I lost everything. Every year I harvested about three tons of wheat, in addition to hay I lost about $5,000 and the land was also damaged.

He claims to have filed a complaint.

"We filed a complaint against the settlers. The PA Ministry of Agriculture came to take samples and promised compensation. We live surrounded by colonial outposts. We spend our nights guarding our homes. Our situation is very difficult."

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