Genocidal Israel drops white phosphorous on Lebanon AGAIN

Israel has once again been caught dropping white phosphorus on civilian areas in Southern Lebanon — a blatant war crime — according to local and international human rights monitoring organisations.

This is white phosphorus.

Israel is raining white phosphorus bombs on civilian areas in South Lebanon.

Call it what it is: A WAR CRIME. https://t.co/PRry5wnQLX

— sarah (@sahouraxo) May 11, 2026

Reuters reported on X that:

Plumes of thick smoke were seen rising from southern Lebanon, following a series of Israeli airstrikes.

It’s a shame we’ve reached the stage of journalism where corporate outlets are incapable of stating the facts.

Reuters complicit in the ethnic cleansing of southern Lebanon by deliberately omitting the fact that this is a white phosphorus bomb.
Using white phosphorus near civilian populations is a war crime. https://t.co/J8kAksjCxv

— courtneybonneauimages (@cbonneauimages) May 11, 2026

‘Plumes of thick smoke’ are, in fact, white phosphorous — a deadly incendiary weapon.

Dangerous incendiary weapon

As the Canary previously reported, white phosphorus is a highly reactive chemical substance which ignites instantly upon contact with oxygen. It’s incredibly hard to extinguish and sticks to surfaces such as clothing and skin. White phosphorus is extremely harmful to people, no matter the route of exposure. It causes deep and severe burns – often down to the bone, breathing problems, and burning of the eyes and respiratory tract.

The human body can absorb the chemical, causing dysfunction in multiple organs, including the liver, kidneys, and heart.

It burns at more than 800 degrees Celsius — nearly 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit — high enough to melt metal.

Importantly though:

The incendiary effects of white phosphorous can cause death or cruel injuries that result in lifelong suffering.

The use of incendiary weapons in civilian areas is a war crime for exactly this reason. Generations of Lebanese people will now suffer the consequences of Israel’s indiscriminate and illegal attacks.

According to the World Health Organisation:

The use of white phosphorus may violate Protocol III (on the use of incendiary weapons) of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCCW) in one specific instance: if it is used, on purpose, as an incendiary weapon directly against humans in a civilian setting.

More war crimes

There is plenty of evidence of Israel’s unlawful use of white phosphorus as far back as 2009. Since October 7 alone, Israel has carried out over 1,000 illegal white phosphorus strikes in Gaza.

According to the Euro-Med Monitor, in 40 minutes alone, the IDF launched 300 white phosphorus strikes on a packed residential square in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia.

Journalists reported other attacks in crowded areas of Gaza City, the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza, and the Jabalia town and camp in the Strip’s north.

The sky above Al Shifa hospital in the north of Gaza, lit up by white phosphorous and war crimes: israelis are barbarians | via @xq_2zx pic.twitter.com/eJyw8GJKmn

— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) November 10, 2023

Amnesty International first reported that the Israeli army was using white phosphorus in Lebanon in October 2023.

We are reporting on the ground close to the frontline. I$rael has indeed used white phosphorous, and has done so for some time, targeting civilian areas and agricultural land. We have spoken to civilians and local officials over the past two years, including those that have…

— Steve Sweeney (@SweeneySteve) March 17, 2026

Human Rights Watch also verified Israel’s use of white phosphorus on two locations along the Israel-Lebanon border and over Gaza City’s port.

By April 2025, Israel had already committed over 1,000 attacks in Southern Lebanon using white phosphorous.

Ecocide in the 2,000 year old olive tree groves of Marjayoun.
The Israelis have committed over 1k attacks using white phosphorous in south Lebanon. Approx 60k olive trees were damaged, and 2.8 square kilometers were burned.
In this photo you can see a small fraction of the damage https://t.co/K40EFIbBrB pic.twitter.com/w1gRCt9fvM

— courtneybonneauimages (@cbonneauimages) April 11, 2025

Since then, Israel has continued to launch white phosphorus over civilian areas of Lebanon.

US origins

As the Canary previously investigated, the US Army supplies Israel with white phosphorus-filled projectiles.

The chemical agent can be deployed through artillery shells, bombs, rockets or grenades.

The white phosphorus itself comes from Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL), which has a chemical manufacturing plant in St. Louis.

The US government contracted ICL to produce white phosphorus for the US Army, for:

a 5-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contract at $3,342,150.

ICL has 10 illegal quarries in the occupied West Bank, according to a report by the Israeli Ministry of Interior. Notably, ICL is also operating in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Of course, it is no surprise that a country with a history steeped in colonialism is supplying incendiary weapons to a genocidal terrorist state.

Imagine the global outcry if Iran or Hezbollah were using white phosphorus on Israel? We would never hear the end of it. But because Israel is mainly terrorising Muslims, and the entire world is scared of Israel crying ‘antisemitism’, the world turns the other way.

Can Israel do anything within the bounds of international law?

Feature image via the Canary