Lebanon has accused Israel of employing white phosphorus in attacks, prompting the country to announce its intention to file a complaint with the United Nations. Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdalla Bou Habib alleged that the incendiary weapon caused extensive damage, including the burning of 40,000 olive trees. Israel has faced previous accusations of using white phosphorus, which can result in severe burns if it comes into contact with people, a claim the country had denied.
Bou Habib stated, “I instructed the Lebanese mission to the UN to submit a new complaint to the Security Council to condemn Israel’s use of white phosphorus in repeated attacks on Lebanon.” The minister also accused Israel of intentionally burning Lebanese groves and forests.
Tensions along Lebanon’s southern border have escalated since the October 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel. This has led to tit-for-tat exchanges between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in the region. The clashes have resulted in at least 62 deaths in Lebanon, including mostly Hezbollah combatants and four civilians, while Israel reported eight casualties, including soldiers and civilians.
In addition to the human toll, Israeli attacks have ignited fires in olive groves and greenery in the border area. Agriculture Minister Abbas Al Hajj Hassan claimed that Israeli white phosphorus strikes resulted in the destruction of 40,000 olive trees in southern Lebanon. A preliminary survey by the ministry identified “128 fires resulting from the Israeli enemy’s phosphorus bombing of our regions,” according to Hassan.
White phosphorus is a substance that ignites upon contact with the air and is used for creating smokescreens, illuminating the battlefield, or causing fires to destroy structures. While the 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons restricts incendiary weapons, it does not completely ban their use. The convention prohibits their use against civilians and non-military targets but allows deployment for smokescreening or battlefield illumination.
