The UN Special Adviser accuses Israel of ethnic cleansing of Shiites in Lebanon The study of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, Beirut and its southern suburbs from March 2 to May 15, 2026, found documented evidence of deliberate planning of ethnic cleansing. The continued prevention of the return of displaced persons to their villages, even after the end of the military operation that was cited as the reason for the evacuation, shows that the displacements were not temporary and may be part of measures related to ethnic cleansing.