Israel used white phosphorus ammunition supplied by the United States in an attack in October in the southern Lebanese town of Dheira, which burned four houses and injured at least nine civilians, The Washington Post reports.
According to the newspaper’s investigation, which cites weapons experts, the batch production codes found on the projectiles coincide with the nomenclature used by the US Army to classify domestically produced ammunition.
John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator at the US National Security Council, in response to a journalist’s question on the issue, expressed concern about the reports.
“I think it’s important to remember that white phosphorus has legitimate military utility in terms of illumination and smoke production to conceal movement. And obviously whenever we provide items like white phosphorus to another military, it is with the full expectation that it will be used in accordance with those legitimate purposes and in accordance with the law of armed conflict,” Kirby said.
It should be noted that white phosphorus, a waxy chemical that ignites on contact with oxygen, is not normally considered a chemical weapon, but its use is regularly criticized by human rights organizations. Its use is authorized on the battlefield to create a smoke screen, illuminate and mark objectives.
International law prohibits the use of these munitions in densely populated areas, as the substance ignites easily and causes fatal burns. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International accused Israel in October of using white phosphorus in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. with RT
