How IDF uses white phosphorus to reveal Hezbollah's secret bases

Analysis: Weapons, permitted to use in unpopulated areas under Geneva Convention, employed by military to uncover Hezbollah positions concealed under thick shrubbery, thereby helping to prevent attacks on IDF troops and civilians
Ron Ben Yishai|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Despite the reporting on Monday in the Washington Post, quoting human rights groups that Israel used U.S.-made white phosphorus bombs to attack villages in southern Lebanon, the use by the IDF was in unpopulated areas where military targets were found. Either way, the use of white phosphorus was confirmed by the military spokesperson.
<< Follow Ynetnews on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok >>
More stories:
Speaking to reporters following the Post's report, National Security Advisor John Kirby said the use of the weapons was not a violation of international accords, if they did not target non-combatant civilians but said the concerns of the administration would be raised.
2 View gallery
ארכיון 12.11 תקיפות  צה"ל ב דרום לבנון
ארכיון 12.11 תקיפות  צה"ל ב דרום לבנון
IDF uses phosphorus bombs in southern Lebanon
(Photo: Evelyn Hockstein / Reuters)
According to the third Geneva Convention, phosphorus bombs and shells can be used as a means of lighting or as a smoke screen but not against humans because of the plastic materials or phosphorus-laden material in them which ignites in contact with oxygen and sticks to human skin causing severe burns. The limitations on the use of the weapon extend to combatants as well as civilians, for that reason.
The IDF had used such weaponry extensively in Gaza, especially during the 2014 war there, raising angry condemnation from international bodies. As a result, the military decided to limit their use and has mostly avoided phosphorus bombs and shells during the current war.
In South Lebanon, unpopulated areas are often used to house Hezbollah facilities and frontline bases for their elite Radwan force which could be used to launch attacks on Israel.
2 View gallery
ארכיון 22.11 תקיפות צה"ל ב דרום לבנון
ארכיון 22.11 תקיפות צה"ל ב דרום לבנון
IDF uses phosphorus bombs in southern Lebanon
(Photo: Hussein Malla / AP)
Hezbollah hides mortar and anti-tank missile launchers in those bases, which are covered by thick vegetation that prevents intelligence surveillance from the air and has dug bunkers to protect from IDF artillery fire. They are an immediate threat to the border region, making them a target of Israeli strikes aimed also at revealing them.
By bombing the bases with phosphorus bombs, the IDF hopes to ignite the vegetation covering the bases and create a smoke screen that would enable the Hezbollah force to fire anti-tank missiles at IDF soldiers and positions and Israeli civilians near the Israel-Lebanon border.
5Comments
add comment
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
5.
Why peletinians have no homeland
U occupiers
Love| 01.09.24
00
add comment
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
4.
The message is clear
Ron Ben Yishai is a competent, meticulous and experienced analyst, I think of a translation or typing error (a single letter can change a whole text - enable is used here instead of unable); the error is human. In any case, the significance of the use of such a phosphorus bomb here is, in my opinion, for “advertising” purposes (a conventional bomb would have attracted less attention). So it is a question of marking (without killing the jihadist terrorists for now) the places where they store their prohibited weapons and letting them know that Tshl knows. The civilians living in these so-called places behind which the aggressor Hizbollah and his henchmen are hiding are warned and may leave if they are not complicit in order to avoid the legitimate reprisals of Israel. The message is clear and the will of the messenger is irreducible. Simon Néhmé
Simon Néhmé| 01.04.24
00
add comment
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
3.
Mr
What on earth is your final sentence talking about? The IDF hopes to do two things. The second one is "to create a smoke screen that would enable Hezbollah to fire missiles at IDF soldiers ..." So why? Sounds like the opposite of what they should be doing.
David Huskisson| 12.12.23
00
add comment
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
Load more talkbacks
""