Utolsó frissítés: 2026.06.08. — Szerző: Anti-Propaganda News Blog
A The Times The videos compiled by [name] show how the Israeli military deployed highly destructive munitions over populated areas in Lebanon.
Author: Sanjana Varghese | June 6, 2026.
Experts, aid organizations and the The New York Times According to visual evidence gathered by [the organization], the Israeli military used white phosphorus—an extremely harmful incendiary agent—over populated areas in Lebanon during its fight against Hezbollah.
A The Times In social media footage verified by the organization, the characteristic smoke trails from the ammunition were visible on May 30 in the city of Nabatieh, which has a population of about 40,000. The photos were taken at that time, when Israeli forces captured one of the area’s landmarks, Beaufort Castle.
Other verified footage shows that, that white phosphorus was used near the coastal city of Tyre, as well as three small towns—Qlayaa, Khiam and Yohmor – in the surrounding area during those months, since fighting between Hezbollah—the Iranian-backed militant group—and Israel resumed in March. The latest fighting broke out after that, that Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
White phosphorus ignites spontaneously upon contact with air, and is extremely difficult to extinguish.
Although armies often use them to start fires and create smoke screens during combat, White phosphorus is not illegal in and of itself. However, its deliberate use against civilians, or in areas inhabited by civilians, violates international humanitarian law. Human rights activists have expressed concern that, that civilians were also harmed as a result of the Israeli military's actions.
Israel denies, that he would use the material in a manner that violates the law. It is unclear, what purpose the Israeli military had in mind when using white phosphorus in these instances.
A The Times raised questions with the Israeli army regarding the use of white phosphorus in Nabatieh, Qlayaa, regarding its use in the Khiam and Tyre areas, providing the exact coordinates of the incidents. The Israeli military has not commented on these incidents. A The Times He also inquired about the military’s internal guidelines regarding the use of white phosphorus.
„IDF procedures require that, that such projectiles should not be used in densely populated areas, with certain exceptions. This complies with the requirements of international law, ”and even goes beyond them,” the army’s statement said.
Israel uses American-made, It uses 155-millimeter M825A1 artillery shells, of which there are 116, pizza slice-shaped, contain felt pads coated with white phosphorus. These are designed to, to produce thick white smoke for five to ten minutes, providing cover for the fighters.
The fuse on the projectiles can be set so that, so that they break apart in the air and scatter their cargo, which has a wide-ranging ignition effect. This is used to create a smoke screen, but it causes fires everywhere on earth, where the phosphorescent fragments fall.
The ammunition can also be set up so that, so that they explode on impact—thus creating a single fire, which the military uses as a visual signal to direct further strikes.
Ballistics experts who analyzed news agency footage and social media posts have concluded that, that the footage shows Lebanese artillery shells exploding in mid-air, which emit streaks of burning white phosphorus—this is consistent with Israel’s previous use of American M825A1 projectiles.
A The Times In response to these questions, the Israeli military stated: „The primary smoke-screen projectiles used by the IDF do not contain white phosphorus.”
„Like many Western armies, the IDF also has smoke-screen rounds containing white phosphorus, which are legal under international law. The IDF uses these projectiles to create smoke screens, rather than to destroy targets or start fires, ”and the law does not classify them as incendiary weapons,” the statement added.
At present, there are no publicly available statistics on the use of other types of smoke-screen projectiles by the Israeli military.
The material is „cheap, ”It’s readily available and does the job quite well,” said N.R. Jenzen-Jones, the director of Armament Research Services, an Australia-based, a private intelligence consulting firm specializing in weapons and ammunition.
Israel’s use of white phosphorus in populated areas has prompted investigations in the past as well. The 2024 Human Rights Watch report documented its widespread use in Lebanon, and questioned the necessity of it, pointing out that, that there are safer alternatives, such as the M150 rounds, which the Israeli military reportedly used in 2024.
The trails left by these projectiles are visually distinct from the streaks of white phosphorus, which are more irregular.
Israel also used white phosphorus in Gaza—in 2009—, as well as in conflicts in Lebanon, including in 1982 and 2006. In 2023. on October 7, In the year following the Hamas attacks on Israel, the Israeli military used white phosphorus more than 200 times in Lebanon, according to Ahmad Beydoun, an independent researcher, who has built a visual database of military operations across the country.
Since October 2023, the Lebanese government has submitted four letters to the United Nations and the UN Security Council, in which it expresses concern over Israel’s use of white phosphorus. One of them, 2024. A letter dated July 3, citing government data, states that, that more than 600 fires broke out in southern Lebanon as a result of the use of white phosphorus.
How does this affect civilians? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), white phosphorus causes severe burns, if it comes into contact with the skin. If inhaled, it may cause damage to the respiratory tract and eyes.
„The damage, caused by white phosphorus, ”horrible," said Bonnie Docherty, a senior arms expert at Human Rights Watch. „It causes burns, that penetrate right down to the bone.”The thick smoke, which it produces, „It causes severe respiratory damage and organ failure.”. The wounds may flare up again, when the bandages are removed, and the remaining material comes into contact with oxygen.”
White phosphorus can set homes ablaze, cars, buildings, fields and other objects as well. According to Amnesty International’s 2023 report, residents of the southern Lebanese town of Dhayra in 2023. They fled after the white phosphorus was used again on October 16, and when they returned a few days later, Cars and houses were still on fire.
According to experts, traces of white phosphorus can remain in water and soil for a long time after use, and forested areas and farmland can suffer significant damage.
„There are under-researched risks associated with long-term exposure to the smoke,” said Wim Zwijnenburg, who works for the Dutch peace organization PAX and researches the environmental impacts of conflicts. „We also know that residents and farmers can lose access to their land, and often require special cleanup operations afterward.”
“Since white phosphorus munitions are primarily designed as smoke screens and illumination devices, they often fall through the loopholes in existing international law,” said Docherty.
„Their destructive effects—such as causing fires or severe burns—are viewed as side effects of their use, rather than the main reason why an army employs such weapons,” he added.
Although white phosphorus is legal as long as it is not intentionally used in populated areas, it is often difficult to determine whether its use was intentional. „These munitions are not precision weapons, and they cannot distinguish between civilians and soldiers,” Zwijnenburg said. „It may not be a banned weapon, but we know that armies do not always use it as intended.”
The Israeli military is not the only military force to use white phosphorus in combat. The United States has used it in several operations in the Middle East, including in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004, and in its 2017 campaign against ISIS in Syria. Ukraine and Russia have also accused each other of using white phosphorus since 2023.
It is difficult to determine whether white phosphorus was intentionally used against civilians. A 2009 report by Human Rights Watch found that the Israeli military had used these munitions on multiple occasions in densely populated areas of Gaza. Four years later, following international pressure from human rights organizations, the Israeli military announced that it would significantly reduce its use of white phosphorus.
