{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=755", "Rep. Balint Leads 75 Colleagues in Condemning Israeli Military Engagement in Lebanon, Destruction of Civilian Homes and Infrastructure", "2026-06-29", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Becca Balint", "B001318", "balint.house.gov", "balint", "https://balint.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) today led 75 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern about the Israeli military\u2019s operations in southern Lebanon. Since the temporary cessation of hostilities in Lebanon was announced on April 16, 2026, both Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued military operations in violation of the ceasefire. As the Trump administration implements the memorandum of understanding with Iran, the letter urges the State Department to take all possible steps in bringing a swift end to the wars in Iran and Lebanon.\n\nThe Members called attention to reports of the Israeli military\u2019s use of U.S.-origin weapons and equipment in the destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure. Hundreds of civilians have died from these attacks and more than one million people, approximately 20 percent of Lebanon\u2019s population, have been forced from their homes.\n\n\u201cEvery government has a right and a responsibility to protect its citizens, and Israel has a right to defend itself,\u201d the Members wrote. \u201cHowever, this does not justify unrestrained Israeli military operations, especially those that violate the current ceasefire, destroy civilian infrastructure, and lead to the death of hundreds of civilians. All sides must fully abide by the ceasefire agreement.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are troubled by the Israeli military\u2019s practice of mass demolitions of civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon and targeting practices that kill Lebanese civilians,\u201d the Members continued. \u201cAfter the Israeli military invaded southern Lebanon and began an occupation of the territory, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans to raze all homes in southern border villages, \u2018following the Rafah and Beit Hanounmodel in Gaza,\u2019 a reference to the Israeli military\u2019s systematic destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure in Gaza. Since then, reporting and satellite imagery have confirmed widespread demolitions of civilian homes, buildings, and religious sites in southern Lebanon, including the use of bulldozers and controlled demolitions. The Israeli military has also demolished bridges, roads, water pipelines, and fuel stations in southern Lebanon.\u201d\n\nThe letter highlights Trump administration\u2019s responsibility to investigate whether U.S.-origin weapons are being used in activities inconsistent with U.S. law and arms transfer agreements, while supporting the Lebanese government and Lebanese Armed Forces in efforts to disarm Hezbollah and strengthen state authority.\n\n\u201cThe use of U.S. origin weapons in the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure is a violation of U.S. military assistance transfer agreements with the Israeli government,\u201d the Members wrote. \u201cThe targeted, mass destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure does not constitute Israeli self-defense. If U.S.-origin arms are confirmed to be used in these unauthorized activities, we ask the Trump administration to enforce existing law and stop arms transfers being used in these operations until these violations cease.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration should take all possible steps to bring a swift end to the war and continue good-faith negotiations between the Lebanese and Israeli governments,\u201d the Members concluded. \u201cWe urge the administration to work to empower the Lebanese government and to fund the Lebanese Armed Forces to pursue Hezbollah\u2019s full demilitarization and disarmament.\u201d\n\nJ Street has endorsed the letter, with J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami releasing the following statement: \"We are deeply grateful for Congresswoman Balint and Congressman Castro's leading this important Congressional letter, expressing concern over the situation in southern Lebanon. While Hezbollah must be disarmed and the Lebanese government supported, Congress must ensure that this does not evolve into another long-term Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. We share the Members\u2019 concerns about the Israeli military's conduct in southern Lebanon, especially the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure. The Members are right to seek to ensure that U.S. law is being enforced and that American weapons are not being misused.\"\n\nIn addition to Rep. Balint, the letter was signed by Reps. Amo, Ansari, Barragan, Bonamici, Carbajal, Carson, Casten, Castro, Chu, Cisneros, Cleaver, Cohen, Davids, Davis, Dean, DeLauro, Deluzio, DeSaulnier, Dingell, Doggett, Escobar, Evans, Foster, Garamendi, Garcia (Chuy), Garcia (Robert), Garcia (Sylvia), Grijalva, Hayes, Hoyle, Huffman, Jackson, Jacobs, Jayapal, Johnson (Hank), Kamlager-Dove, Kaptur, Kelly, Khanna, Leger Fernandez, Lofgren, Lynch, Magaziner, Matsui, McCollum, McDonald Rivet, McGarvey, McGovern, McIver, Min, Moulton, Pallone, Pelosi, Pingree, Pocan, Quigley, Randall, Ross, Ryan, Salinas, Schakowsky, Scott, Simon, Stansbury, Takano, Thompson (Bennie), Thompson (Mike), Tokuda, Tonko, Tran, Vasquez, Vel\u00e1zquez, Waters, Watson Coleman, Williams.\n\nEarlier in June, Rep. Balint voted in favor of a War Powers Resolution to cease U.S. involvement in the war in Lebanon.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=755"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0001822374761105, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}