Israel Accused of Using Banned, Flesh-Melting Bombs in Lebanon
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Human Rights Watch has accused the Israeli military of using white phosphorus incendiary shells over residential areas in the Lebanon town of Yohmor, where its forces claim to be attacking Iran-allied group Hezbollah.
The HRW report said these strikes took place on March 3 and included photographs showing workers extinguishing fires on residential rooftops and in a car, with smoke emerging from the balconies of a home.
White phosphorus is a waxy, yellowish chemical substance that ignites spontaneously when it comes into contact with oxygen and burns at temperatures exceeding 800°C, hot enough to melt metal and incinerate human flesh.
The use of white phosphorus is governed by the Convention on Conventional Weapons, but rights groups and legal experts cite a significant loophole, as many militaries, including Israel's, argue it falls outside the definition of an "incendiary weapon".
The impact of white phosphorus use is long-term, with residents in southern Lebanon describing a "toxic legacy" left on their lands since 2023, with phosphorus residues contaminating the soil for years and destroying olive groves and citrus orchards.
