Israel attacked southern Lebanon this Sunday morning with illegal white phosphorus munitions.
With tensions between Israel and Hezbollah at peak in recent weeks, the former’s air force carried out an unprecedented air attack against the latter, targeting southern parts of Lebanon with illegal phosphorus munitions.
“The area between Tal Nahas and Al-Hamams towards the Marjayoun plain is being subjected to artillery shelling with phosphorus shells, which caused fires to break out,” Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said in a report this Sunday. Israel targeted southern Lebanon with white phosphorus also on Friday, with the scope of destruction and the number of casualties not yet clear.
More than 92,600 people have been displaced from their villages in south Lebanon since October 6, according to the International Organization for Migration. “Israel’s use of airburst white phosphorus munitions in populated areas indiscriminately harms civilians and has led many to leave their homes,” says Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.
White phosphorus munitions, deadly weapons banned under international law!
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), white phosphorus is a chemical waxy solid substance typically appearing yellowish or colorless. Once ignited, white phosphorus is very difficult to extinguish. It sticks to surfaces like skin and clothing. It is harmful to humans by all routes of exposure. The smoke from burning phosphorus is also harmful to the eyes and respiratory tract due to the presence of phosphoric acids and phosphine. White phosphorus can cause deep and severe burns, penetrating even through bone.
The use of white phosphorus is against international law as it violates Protocol III (on the use of incendiary weapons) of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCCW) in one specific instance: if it is used, on purpose, as an incendiary weapon directly against humans in a civilian setting.
