Lebanon to file complaint against Israel over white phosphorus attacks

BEIRUT

Lebanon said Tuesday that it would file a complaint to the UN Security Council against Israel for "using white phosphorus in striking Lebanese border areas."

Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said in a statement that he had instructed the Lebanese mission to the United Nations to submit a complaint to the Security Council to “condemn Israel’s use of white phosphorus in its repeated attacks against Lebanon and its deliberate burning of Lebanese woods and forests.”

According to international law, the use of white phosphorus in areas with a dense civilian population is prohibited. The smoke from white phosphorus, when inhaled, can cause sudden lung injuries and suffocation.

White phosphorus can cause second- and third-degree burns to the skin and readily ignites upon contact with oxygen. When used as a bomb, it not only has explosive effects but also leads to fires.

Fires caused by white phosphorus bombs can spread over large areas and continue until the phosphorus is depleted.

Treatment of individuals exposed to white phosphorus, whether through inhalation, contact or ingestion, is challenging due to the substance's contagious nature. Those treating injuries caused by the bomb need special training to protect themselves.

Exposure to white phosphorus at certain intervals can lead to severe deformations and fractures of the jawbone.

Earlier Tuesday, firefighters worked to put out a fire resulting from an Israeli raid on the Sheikh Zein area northeast of Marwahin in southern Lebanon and a fire in the Labouneh area which caused the explosion of landmines.

In a related development, Amnesty International revealed evidence on Tuesday that the Israeli army used white phosphorus in its attacks on Lebanon.

The organization said in a statement that an Israeli attack on the Lebanese town of Dhayra on Oct. 16 was “indiscriminate” and “must be investigated as a war crime.”

It noted that at least four civilians and 48 members of the Hezbollah group have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since Oct. 7.

The border clashes have been the deadliest since Hezbollah and Israel fought a full-scale war in 2006, when the Lebanese group struck major Israeli cities with rockets, causing significant damage.

The border tensions come as Israel widened air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip following the launching of a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas against Israeli towns on Oct. 7.

The death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has climbed to 8,525, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said Tuesday.

“The victims include 3,542 children and 2,187 women, while 21,543 other people were injured,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a press conference in Gaza City.

More than 1,538 Israelis have been killed in the conflict.