Israel Pounds South Lebanon Town with White Phosphorous

Attacks escalate as Israel uses incendiaries against civilian targets

by Jason Ditz June 26, 2024

https://news.antiwar.com/2024/06/26/israel-pounds-south-lebanon-town-with-white-phosphorous/

Amid growing fear of a full-scale invasion, Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes against the southern Lebanon town of Khiam, using incendiary white phosphorous bombs, according to the National News Agency.

Israel has not commented on the use of white phosphorous in a populated civilian area, nor is it likely to. The extent of any casualties is not known at the present.

In recent weeks, the use of phosphorous, even including flinging fireballs into Lebanon with medieval trebuchets, has become a go-to Israeli strategy. At the time, Israel maintained setting fires was a security measure, clearing brush in the agricultural areas of southern Lebanon.

Employing white phosphorous is not actually illegal, but the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons severely regulates its use against civilian targets. Israel is a signatory to the convention, but in its frequent warfare with neighboring countries, does not appear to view the regulation as restricting its use of the substance.

Beyond Khiam, Israel carried out strikes on Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon, destroying at least three homes, and artillery strikes against Wazzani, Wadi Hamoul and Dhayra.

Israeli jets also attacked what they described as “infrastructure” in southern Lebanon, in places including Kfar Chouba and Ayta ash-Shab. Israel’s military released video footage of the attacks.