Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel’s military of unlawfully deploying artillery-fired white phosphorus munitions over residential areas in Yohmor, southern Lebanon, on March 3, 2026.
Verified images show airburst projectiles scattering burning wedges across homes and vehicles, with civil defence workers rushing to contain fires.
HRW researcher Ramzi Kaiss warned that the use of white phosphorus in populated areas poses dire consequences, including death, severe injuries, and lifelong suffering. White phosphorus ignites on contact with oxygen, making it especially destructive to homes, farmland, and civilian infrastructure.
The rights group identified smoke patterns consistent with M825-series 155mm artillery projectiles, known to contain white phosphorus. International humanitarian law prohibits indiscriminate attacks, and HRW stressed that such use in civilian zones violates these principles.
The allegations come amid escalating tensions, with Israel warning residents to evacuate Beirut’s southern suburbs, including Hezbollah-controlled areas. Similar accusations were raised in 2023 regarding Israel’s use of white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon, though the Israeli Defence Forces denied them at the time.
