Israeli Military Used White Phosphorus Near 40,000-Person Lebanese City, Evidence Shows
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
Israeli Military Used White Phosphorus Near 40,000-Person Lebanese City, Evidence Shows
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
Summary
May 30 footage verified by The New York Times showed white phosphorus over Nabatieh, a Lebanese city of about 40,000, during Israeli forces' capture of Beaufort Castle.
Other verified videos placed the incendiary munition near Tyre and the towns of Qlayaa, Khiam and Yohmor after Israel-Hezbollah fighting resumed in March.
White phosphorus ignites on contact with air and is hard to extinguish; while not banned outright, using it against civilians or in populated areas can violate the laws of war.
Israel denies using the substance unlawfully, while aid groups and human rights advocates say its deployment in these areas put civilians at risk.
Is Israel's use of white phosphorus a legitimate military tactic or a deliberate war crime in Lebanon?
Beyond the battlefield, is white phosphorus creating a permanently poisoned and uninhabitable buffer zone in Lebanon?
The 2026 Southern Lebanon White Phosphorus Crisis: Displacement, Legal Controversy, and Regional Instability
Overview
In March 2026, the Israeli military's documented use of white phosphorus munitions in Southern Lebanon sparked significant international concern. Human Rights Watch publicly stated that Israel was illegally employing these weapons, a claim widely reported by major news agencies and drawing global attention to the issue. In response, Ramzi Kaiss urged Israel to immediately stop using white phosphorus and called on countries supplying Israel with such munitions to suspend military assistance and arms sales. These appeals highlighted the urgent need for international pressure to halt the use of white phosphorus, especially in residential areas where civilians are at greatest risk.