For the past six months, Israel has been bombarding the southern Lebanese border with white phosphorus bombs. The poisonous gas is harmful to the eyes and lungs as well as can severely burn the skin, and is therefore strictly regulated by international law.
But Israeli forces say their use of these weapons against “armed extremists” in Gaza and Lebanon is perfectly legal. However, human rights organizations say its use should be investigated for war crimes.
The US says it will investigate whether Israel actually used white phosphorus in those two countries.
Is Israel breaking the law by using such weapons of war so close to civilian locations? Or do they have the right to use it during war?
‘It comes like a white cloud. But it turns to powder as soon as it falls on the ground.’
Ali Ahmed Abu Samra, a 48-year-old farmer from southern Lebanon, said he fell into a cloud of white smoke on October 19.
‘They say it smells like garlic, but it’s actually worse than that. The smell was unbearable. Suarez is worse than Line.’
Ali was describing a white phosphorus attack.
Ali Ahmed Abu Samra described the white phosphorus attack in Dhira village. White phosphorus burning at a temperature of 815 degrees Celsius is extremely toxic and spreads rapidly.
‘My eyes started to water,’ said Ali from Dhira village. ‘If we hadn’t covered our noses and mouths with wet cloths, we might not be alive today.’
The BBC has independently verified that between October 2023 and March 2024, the IDF carried out several attacks with white phosphorus on at least four towns and villages.
Violence also spread along the Israel-Lebanon border after the Gaza war broke out in October last year, causing casualties on both sides and displacing thousands of people.
As a close ally of Iran and an ally of Hamas, Hezbollah is not a state-controlled military but is one of the most powerful forces in the world, possessing a large arsenal of weapons.
Almost daily rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah fighters have been countered by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with airstrikes and heavy missile strikes. Including white phosphorus attacks.
When white phosphorus is released from the bomb, it mixes with oxygen to form a heavy smoke layer.
It provides a kind of immediate cover for the troops fighting on the ground, so that the enemy does not realize their position.
It is very effective and can be used as a valid military strategy in very special cases. However, according to international law, it is the responsibility of both sides to use these weapons to protect civilians during war.
White phosphorus has been used in warfare by almost all major armies in the world over the last century.
The CIA says it was used extensively by the Soviet Union during World War II.
The US admits they used it in Iraq in 2004. Then in 2017 white phosphorus was again used against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. According to various reports, Israel used this chemical during the attack on Gaza in 2008-2009.
But the IDF said in 2013 it would “remove it very soon” after the UN said the Israeli army had ‘tactically abused it’.
Hezbollah fighters usually move in small groups of two or four. They use the jungle as cover and they regularly fire missiles and rockets across the border at Israeli troops on the other side. And that’s why this smoke is a way for the Israelis to deal with them.
On the day that Ali’s village was attacked between October 10 and 19, he said that no armed group was there at that time.
“If Hezbollah was there, the villagers would have told them to leave because they didn’t want to die,” Ali said. “There was no Hezbollah there.”
The BBC has not been able to independently verify the presence or absence of any armed groups in Dhira village at the time of the attack.
Khaled Karitem, a volunteer health worker, was the first to arrive after the attack in Dhira.
‘We started evacuating those who had lost consciousness,’ said Khaled. But when the rescuers were trying to reach the victims, they fell into the fire.
“They threw three bombs, either to hinder the rescue operation or to create an atmosphere of fear,” said Khaled.
Khaled remembers that day he was able to take at least nine people to the Italian hospital in Tyre, one of whom was his father, Ibrahim.
Ibrahim, 65, was hospitalized for three days for respiratory complications. His doctor Mohammad Mostafa said he has treated many patients who were exposed to white phosphorus.
‘Patients were sweating profusely, choking, vomiting and having irregular heartbeats,’ said Dr. Mustafa. ‘They smelled like garlic. Their blood test confirmed that they were victims of white phosphorus attack.’
When we visited Ibrahim three months later, his eyes were still red. Itchy spots and sores on the skin of his hands and feet. He said that the doctor told him that the cause of all this is white phosphorus.
“Since 1970 we have been living in the midst of war. But never seen that. “Explosion very close to the house,” said Ibrahim.
Ibrahim said a bomb fell six meters away as he tried to escape by car, while an IDF surveillance drone hovered over his head.
‘They were watching us, they were attacking randomly,’ said Ibrahim.
Amnesty International says, ‘The attack in Dhaira should be investigated as a war crime, as it was a chaotic attack that injured at least nine civilians, damaged civilian installations and was therefore illegal.’
Witnesses say white phosphorus has been used ‘recklessly’ in populated areas, the IDF told the BBC in response:
“The IDF directive states that the smoke emitted by shells containing white phosphorus cannot be used in densely populated areas, with few exceptions. It is the strategic direction of the attack that is confidential and cannot be disclosed.’
Proof of white phosphorus
Soon after the attack on Ali’s village, various reports started pouring in online about it. Initially, the Israeli forces denied the use of white phosphorus.
But later withdrawing from their position, they said that they used it but it was ‘in accordance with international law.’
Through fact-checking all available evidence, the BBC was able to independently verify the existence of white phosphorus use in Dhira and three other border villages in the last 6 months.
A fragment of a shell that fell between two civilian houses in Kfar Qila came into the BBC’s possession and was chemically tested. It was tested by a famous professor of chemistry. But he said he did not want to reveal his name for security reasons.
The professor points out that this shell is made in the United States. Earlier this year, the US State Department said it would investigate the illegal use of its white phosphorus weapons in Lebanon.
Wearing a gas mask and full PPE, the professor analyzed the various black deposits inside the metal shell.
‘It is part of a 155mm howitzer shell. And here the M825A1 indicates that it is a white phosphorus weapon and it is made in the United States,’ he said.
When he caught fire near the black substance, it caught fire immediately.
‘Imagine trying to get this stuff off your clothes while it’s burning and sticking to your skin.’
He said that even after 30 days white phosphorus was found inside it.
Khaled Karitam, a volunteer who first responded to the attack, blamed Israel for using it deliberately to drive people away from the border area.
‘We had a wonderful rural life, they started bombing our forests with phosphorus to burn our olive trees and avocado groves,’ said Khaled.
In response to Khaled’s accusations, the IDF said, “The IDF completely denies any claims of removing civilians from the Lebanese border by shelling and creating smoke.”
Is Israel breaking the law?
White phosphorus is not included as a chemical weapon and there is also debate as to whether it should be called a firearm or not.
According to the United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), weapons that are primarily designed to shoot or burn people are prohibited.
But most states, including Israel, agree that if white phosphorus is used only to create smoke, not to explode (even if accidentally detonated), then this law does not apply.
However, Human Rights Watch has objections to this. They say there are many loopholes in this CCW.
‘The main weakness of the convention is its definition of firearms,’ said HRW researcher Ramji Kais, ‘under international human rights law all parties to a conflict must take all precautions to avoid civilian casualties. Especially when you use white phosphorus.’
Now to establish that Israel has violated International Human Rights Law (IHL). Independent lawyer and military expert Bill Boothby thinks a big problem is the ‘controversy over the evidence’.
“The Israelis claim their intention is just to create smoke,” said Professor Boothby.
“Villagers claim that there is no need to smoke there because there are no extremist groups there. Now to know what is the real purpose of using white phosphorus, we need to know what is going on in the minds of those who decide to use it.’
Bill Boothby said, ‘Proportionality is important here. The damage being done should not exceed the intended military objective.’
“We are saying that they go into the attack expecting military facilities before the attack, the civilian casualties and the destruction of facilities are not much higher than they expected.”
Asked by the BBC what their target was in Dhayara, the IDF said, “Strategic instructions on the attack are strictly confidential and cannot be released in any way.”
Source: BBC
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