Israel illegally fires white phosphorus at Lebanese homes

Human Rights Watch said on Monday (March 9) that Israel “illegally” used white phosphorus in residential areas of a southern Lebanese town last week, in violation of international humanitarian law. The New York-based organization said in a report that Israeli forces used white phosphorus in residential areas of the southern Lebanese town of Yahmer on Tuesday (March 3).
The organization also said it had verified and geo-located seven images showing white phosphorus shells being fired into the air at residential areas of the town and civil defense workers trying to put out the flames. After at least two houses and a car caught fire, the AFP news agency reported that white phosphorus is a chemical that ignites instantly when exposed to oxygen.
However, the shell can also be used as an incendiary weapon and cause fires. It can cause severe burns, respiratory damage, organ damage and even death. Lebanese authorities say the Israeli attack has killed at least 394 people and displaced more than half a million.