A complex belonging to the Archdiocese of Tyre in the town of Yaroun, in the Bint Jbeil district, near the border with Israel, has been destroyed. The complex included a school and a convent of the Sisters of the Holy Savior (Basilian Salvatorian Sisters), of the Melkite Greek Catholic rite.
According to the Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour published on May 1, citing parish sources and a correspondent in the area, the Israeli army would have destroyed the facilities as part of the operations it maintains in southern Lebanon. According to this information, Israeli forces continue to carry out demolitions using explosives and heavy machinery in what they describe as a “buffer zone”.
The town of Yaroun, already affected by the clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in the fall of 2024, is part of the areas where continuous destructions of homes and infrastructure have been recorded.
Parish Confirmation and Denunciation
The local parish priest, Father Charbel Naddaf, confirmed these facts to the aforementioned media and described what happened as a “flagrant violation of international law”. According to him, the demolitions affect both homes and places of worship and hinder the return of the civilian population.
Situation of the Religious Community
The destroyed facilities were not operational at the time of the attack. The community of nuns had abandoned the convent after the damage suffered during the 2024-2025 conflict, and had not returned since then. The school had been closed since 2006.
The nuns had been relocated and were carrying out their work in other localities, after the closure of a dispensary linked to the community that also had to be relocated.
Context and Lack of Independent Verification
To date, there is no independent confirmation from major international agencies about the destruction of the religious complex. Nor have Israeli media specifically reported on this case.
Israeli authorities generally maintain that their operations in the area are directed against infrastructures linked to Hezbollah, in a context where civilian facilities and armed positions may be close together.
Ecclesiastical Presence in the Area
The congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Savior, belonging to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, has been developing educational and social activities in various regions of the Middle East since the 19th century. Their centers usually welcome people from various confessions and are part of the local social fabric.
In the same region, explosions of great intensity have also been recorded in other nearby localities, which reflects the continuity of military operations in the south of the country.