Evidence of Israel's unlawful use of white phosphorus in southern Lebanon as cross-border hostilities escalate
Evidence of Israel's unlawful use of white phosphorus in southern Lebanon as cross-border hostilities escalate
The Israeli army fired artillery shells containing white phosphorus, an incendiary weapon, in military operations along Lebanon’s southern border between 10 and 16 October 2023.
The Israeli army fired artillery shells containing white phosphorus, an incendiary weapon, in military operations along Lebanon’s southern border between 10 and 16 October 2023.
I think it also depends on how it’s used. Like if it’s used to create a smokescreen or to light up a battle field, it’s not a war crime. If it’s used as an offensive weapon, especially in an area with civilians, it almost certainly is a war crime since, regardless of whether it’s a chemical weapon, there’s no real way to aim it at military targets without it raining down on civilians. At that point, it becomes a Geneva Conventions violation and every country has ratified the core of the Geneva Conventions.
Israeli authorities denied that they used white phosphorus in their military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
Seems like they're lying. All of that taken together seems like pretty damning evidence that they do use white phosphorous shells.
White phosphorus is not considered a chemical weapon because it operates primarily by heat and flame rather than toxicity, making it an incendiary weapon. Its use is governed by Protocol III of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW). Lebanon acceded to the protocol in 2017, but Israel has not.
Oh. So they're not bound by the treaty not to use it.
Hezbollah, despite being massively outgunned, is already holding back over 100,000 IDF troops at the border far too north of Gaza to be of any use against the Gaza resistance.
They're being very effective, even without stepping foot into Israel - which is a real fear for the IDF as it's the most well armed force that's actively fighting them.