Israel has admitted that it has phosphorous ammunition
The Israeli army has white phosphorus smoke bombs in its arsenal. This was reported by TRT based on the news broadcast by the Israeli army radio.
The statement came after the US administration expressed concern about the use of such munitions in the clashes in southern Lebanon.
"We have smoke bombs containing white phosphorus at our disposal. They are not intended for attack or firefighting purposes, but for camouflage purposes," Anadolu Agency quoted the Israeli army as saying.
According to the statement, many armies of Western countries have such smoke bombs and they are allegedly allowed by international law. It is noted that they are not legally designated as incendiary weapons.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric also expressed serious concern over the use of white phosphorus by the Israeli army, especially in densely populated areas.
Palestinian TV channel " Al-Aqsa " reported that on December 8, Israel used "phosphorus smoke bombs" in an attack on a school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, where many civilians live.
Human rights organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have also noted that Israel has used white phosphorus in military operations in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Anatolia as evidence of human rights defenders brought the video recording.
Also, according to ACLED, a group that monitors war zones, Israel has used white phosphorus munitions more than 60 times in the past two months in border areas with Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on December 2 that Israel's use of munitions "caused the deaths of civilians and caused irreparable damage to more than 5 million square meters of forest and agricultural land, damaging thousands of olive trees."
For reference, a phosphorus bomb, banned by international humanitarian law, is an explosive weapon containing a chemical called white phosphorus. After the bomb explodes, the white phosphorus particles disperse and start burning rapidly. The vapors of the phosphorus bomb once entered the human body cause asphyxia (suffocation due to lack of oxygen).
