Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
Israel’s use of cluster munitions in the bombing of southern Lebanon has resulted in civilian casualties, confirmed by Lebanon’s Ministry of Health to Izvestia. On October 13, Hezbollah accused the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of using these munitions in strikes on populated areas. Israel has previously been accused of employing white phosphorus munitions, banned under international conventions. This article examines the potential long-term impacts of these weapons on the affected areas.
Lebanese health authorities have confirmed that civilians have suffered severe injuries from cluster bombs, as revealed by Dr. Joseph El-Helou, Director of Medical Services at the Lebanese Ministry of Health, in an interview with Izvestia. He stressed the urgency of a ceasefire and an end to hostilities.
On the same day, Hezbollah reported that Israeli forces used cluster munitions in airstrikes on the villages of Khanin and At-Tayri in southern Lebanon. When Izvestia reached out to the Israeli army for comment, the IDF declined to respond.
Dr. El-Helou expressed additional concerns regarding the Israeli army’s use of an unknown type of smoke, which has already caused harm to United Nations peacekeepers. On October 13, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that Israeli troops had fired several shots after storming one of their bases, which led to the release of smoke. Fifteen peacekeepers subsequently developed skin irritation and gastrointestinal problems.
Cluster munitions pose a serious risk to civilians, as they often fail to detonate upon impact and remain dangerous for years. This makes their use in densely populated areas especially perilous.
Retired Lebanese Brigadier General George Nader explained to Izvestia that cluster munitions are bombs that release several smaller explosive devices before hitting the ground, making them highly destructive in populated areas. The indiscriminate nature of these weapons results in significant civilian casualties.
Due to their long-lasting threat, cluster munitions have been banned by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which has been signed by 124 countries. However, Israel has refused to sign the treaty.
UN Peacekeepers Affected by Israeli Actions
Hezbollah has reported that Israel is employing the same type of cluster munitions that Ukraine has used against Russia, supplied by the United States. Brigadier General Munir Shahadeh, a former liaison between the Lebanese government and UN peacekeepers, noted that approximately 1.3 million people have fled southern Lebanon due to the ongoing conflict. Upon their return, the Lebanese army plans to provide guidelines on how to safely navigate areas where unexploded munitions remain.
During the 2006 Lebanon War, Israel dropped millions of cluster munitions south of the Litani River, causing significant harm to farmers and livestock. The Lebanese army and UNIFIL have recorded thousands of incidents where these munitions detonated long after the conflict ended.
Israel has long insisted that Hezbollah should withdraw its forces behind the Litani River, as per UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has called on the UN Security Council to ensure full compliance with the resolution and prevent any armed personnel or weapons from being present in the region, except those belonging to the Lebanese government and UNIFIL.
The injuries caused by cluster munitions include shrapnel wounds that can result in long-term medical complications, including permanent disability. Additionally, the use of these munitions devastates infrastructure, such as roads, buildings, and water systems, making recovery in the affected areas difficult.
Military experts, including retired Iraqi Army officer Saif Raad, have expressed concern over Israel’s strategic use of these munitions. According to Raad, the goal is to displace the residents of southern Lebanon and prevent their return. He further indicated that the munitions used are similar to those deployed by Ukrainian forces in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The Use of White Phosphorus
The Lebanese Ministry of Health also reported cases of injuries caused by Israel’s use of white phosphorus, a weapon banned under international law due to its devastating effects. The Russian Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Vladimir Tarabrin, stated on October 14 that OPCW members are deeply concerned about Israel’s use of white phosphorus.
White phosphorus munitions are prohibited under the 1977 Additional Protocol to the Geneva Convention of 1949, which forbids their use if civilians are at risk. Lebanon’s Minister of the Environment and coordinator of the country’s Emergency Center, Nasser Yassin, previously commented that the development of Lebanon’s agricultural sector has stalled due to fires and bombings caused by Israel’s white phosphorus attacks. According to local media, Israel used white phosphorus during recent strikes on Beirut.
Retired General George Nader explained to Izvestia that Israel had also used cluster and phosphorus bombs in the 2006 Lebanon War. White phosphorus burns everything it touches, poisoning the soil and waterways. Despite international law, Israel continues to use these banned substances in southern Lebanon.
In June 2024, Human Rights Watch reported that Israel had used white phosphorus munitions in at least 17 municipalities in southern Lebanon since October 2023, including five densely populated residential areas.
According to military expert Saif Raad, white phosphorus is used primarily to support ground forces, acting as a smoke screen that obstructs visual tracking systems. He added that a single phosphorus shell can kill everything within a radius of 150 meters.
Israel, however, maintains that it uses white phosphorus solely to create smoke screens and not to target civilians. The Israeli army claims it adheres strictly to international regulations and only uses white phosphorus in urban areas under “specific exceptional circumstances.”
Satellite images cited by Financial Times show that regular Israeli bombardments using white phosphorus munitions have rendered the border zone between Lebanon and Israel uninhabitable. These attacks have caused significant damage not only to Hezbollah but also to civilian infrastructure, including homes and farmland.
Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on October 8, 2023. Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, declared that its attacks would continue as long as Israel pursued its aggression in Gaza. The IDF launched ground operations in Lebanon on October 1, following explosions targeting Hezbollah’s communication networks on September 17 and 18. The Israeli military also eliminated most of Hezbollah’s top military leaders, including its chief, Hassan Nasrallah.
