The 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon is often depicted as a war against Hezbollah. However, it is plain to see that the war is nothing of the sort. It looks more like an attempt to shatter a nation through collective punishment, a term used by human rights groups worldwide to describe Israel's actions. Another term is "humanitarian disaster."

The vast majority of targets in Lebanon have been civilian and infrastructural. After a month of conflict, 1,287 people have been killed in Lebanon, almost all of whom are Lebanese civilians, of which a third are children.

Despite Israel's precision weaponry, only 5% of deaths (63) are Hezbollah. The UN and Lebanese army have also been targeted, despite Israeli demands for the army to reign in Hezbollah, and despite the fact that the army has not attacked Israel.

Furthermore, 4,054 Lebanese civilians have been wounded, including 1,000 children (25%),  and almost a million displaced, including half a million children (more than a quarter of the population).

During the same period, 160 Israelis have been killed, of which 73% (117) are military and almost half of the civilian deaths are Arab. This means that 25 times as many Lebanese civilians have been killed than Israeli.

Up to 30,000 homes have been destroyed in Lebanon, making well over 100,000 homeless. For example, in the village of Tayyabah 80% of homes have been destroyed, 50% in Markaba and Qantarah, and 30% in Mays al Jabal. Also, 80 bridges and 94 roads have been destroyed and damaged.

All this for 2 captured Israeli soldiers?

Sources:

Agence France Presse

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

Lebanese High Relief Council

International Medical Corps