A French entrepreneur of Lebanese origin has filed a formal complaint with French authorities, accusing the Israeli army of war crimes after hundreds of century-old olive trees owned by his family were uprooted in southern Lebanon. According to his lawyers, who shared details with AFP on Wednesday, the 37-year-old businessman claims the trees—some over 500 years old—were completely removed, including their roots, from land cultivated by his family for 250 years in the village of Zawtar el-Charqiyé. The complaint, filed under civil party status, accuses Israel of theft, destruction, and damage to property, alleging these actions constitute war crimes or offenses. The man, who identifies as a digital entrepreneur and explicitly states he is "neither a member nor a sympathizer of Hezbollah," claims the trees were taken to Israel. He also notes that no evidence supports the idea that Hezbollah used his family's property for military purposes. His family home was destroyed by an Israeli aerial strike just hours before a ceasefire was announced in southern Lebanon in April 2026. The entrepreneur says the Israeli military fully took control of the area a few weeks later, and the olive trees were uprooted after Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in late June. The complaint references a report by Amnesty International, which highlights the destruction of olive trees as potential evidence of war crimes committed by Israel in southern Lebanon. The lawyers representing the complainant—Vincent Brengarth, William Bourdon, and Nicolas Busin—told AFP that these actions are part of a larger pattern of "ethnic cleansing" and the destruction of villages in the region. They stated their client is waiting for the French justice system to take appropriate action to identify and prosecute those responsible. Lebanese officials, NGOs, and residents have long criticized Israel for the destruction of agricultural land in southern Lebanon, particularly through fires, since hostilities began with the pro-Iranian group Hezbollah in October 2023. When contacted in August about these allegations, the Israeli army acknowledged being "aware of the potential environmental impact" of its operations and said it was "taking precautionary measures to reduce damage to civilians and the environment." AFP has once again requested a response from the Israeli military. Other complaints have also been filed in Paris regarding Israeli military actions in Lebanon, including by a Franco-Lebanese artist who lost his parents in an Israeli strike in Beirut in late 2024, and by another individual who lost his mother, sister, and two nephews in strikes in July.