Fifteen Unifil peacekeepers injured as Israel suspected of using white phosphorus

Bases operated by the UN mission in southern Lebanon have been repeatedly damaged by Israeli forces

An Israeli shell that appears to contain white phosphorus explodes over a house in Al Bustan, a Lebanese village along the border with Israel, on October 15. AP

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Fifteen UN peacekeepers required treatment after Israel used what is suspected to be white phosphorus in the vicinity of their base in southern Lebanon, a confidential report obtained by The National says.

The report for the UN Interim Force In Lebanon outlines how Israeli forces fighting Hezbollah have deliberately attacked Unifil bases and shot at lighting and watchtowers, injuring peacekeepers.

White phosphorus is a toxic chemical that can cause respiratory damage and organ failure when inhaled, and severe burns on skin contact. It is highly flammable and can reignite when exposed to oxygen, even weeks later, causing fires and destroying land, civilian structures and crops.

On October 13, Unifil reported that two Israeli tanks breached the gates of a base, sparking a security incident. About 45 minutes after the tanks withdrew, peacekeepers heard a blast and saw thick smoke entering the area from the north of the camp.

“Despite putting on protective masks, 15 peacekeepers suffered effects, including skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions after the smoke entered the camp,” the report says.

The report, shared by one of the 50 nations contributing troops to Unifil, indicated that the smoke was caused by “suspected white phosphorus".

White phosphorus is not a banned substance under international law and the US says it can have a legitimate military purpose, but rights groups have said its intentional use against civilians could constitute a war crime.

According to Human Rights Watch, white phosphorus is used in the military to “obscure, mark, signal, or smoke out enemy forces”.

Pentagon press secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder did not comment on the report, but said white phosphorus is used as a "signalling capability that you can use to hone in on targets … it does have a legitimate use in combat operations".

Israel's claimed use of white phosphorous at Unifil bases dates back as far as November 2023 and was reported to the UN Security Council in March.

Photographs included in the report showed tanks breaching the base's gates and damaging perimeter walls, and white smoke lingering in the air, as well as images of injured Indonesian peacekeepers. The 10-page report stated that the Israeli military “deliberately” attacked Unifil bases and shot out lights.

On October 10, two Indonesian peacekeepers were injured when an Israeli Merkava tank fired at an observation tower at Unifil's headquarters in Naqoura. The same day, Israeli forces fired on a UN site in Labbouneh, hitting the entrance to a bunker where Italian peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system.

On October 11, two other UN peacekeepers were wounded by an Israeli strike near their watchtower in south Lebanon.

The peacekeeping force has already disclosed many details of the attacks, but the report provides further insight into the challenges Unifil faces in maintaining operations in war-torn southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has a network of tunnels and hidden missile launchers.

The photographs reveal the extensive damage to troop bunkers, perimeter walls and observation towers, underscoring the severity of the situation.

Israel has demanded that Unifil vacate 31 of its bases along the Israeli Lebanese border, saying these areas have become “active combat zones” as it increases efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure.

Hezbollah has been launching missile attacks into Israel since October 8 last year, claiming solidarity with Hamas. Israeli authorities claim many of these rockets are fired from sites near Unifil bases, raising concerns over the proximity of peacekeepers to continuing hostilities.

Unifil has been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978, tasked with monitoring hostilities and assisting in the implementation of peace agreements between Israel and Lebanon.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, Hezbollah and Israel are prohibited from conducting military operations in southern Lebanon.