Israel has reportedly used white phosphorus near Lebanese cities and towns. What is it? : NPR

Human rights organizations and The New York Times have documented the use of white phosphorus by Israel over civilian areas in Lebanon. This chemical can cause severe burns, respiratory problems, and even death.

The New York Times reported Saturday that Israel deployed white phosphorus in the Lebanese town of Nabatieh on May 30, confirmed through social media videos.

Israel resumed strikes on Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, shortly after a joint strike with the U.S. on Iran at the end of February. Hezbollah had reignited the conflict by launching projectiles into Northern Israel in early March. Although Lebanon and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement on Wednesday, Hezbollah rejected it. Continued Israeli airstrikes have since resulted in nine deaths, including three Lebanese military personnel.

While white phosphorus is not prohibited under international law, its use in or near populated areas is illegal due to its potential for causing extensive harm. For decades, international human rights groups have accused Israel of employing the chemical in ways that endanger civilians.

“It can create cruel injuries—life long injuries,” says Ramzi Kaiss, a Lebanon researcher with the international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW). “Or cause death.”

What is white phosphorus?

White phosphorus is a solid, wax-like chemical that ignites upon contact with oxygen. The Chemical Weapons Convention, an arms control treaty signed by over 190 states, classifies white phosphorus as an incendiary agent rather than a chemical weapon.

Countries may use it to create smoke screens, and the Israel Defense Forces claim it is used for this purpose in some artillery shells. White phosphorus is also used to mark military targets for further strikes.

However, the Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the use of such incendiary agents in civilian areas, which is precisely what Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accused Israel of doing.

NPR has not independently verified these allegations, and Israel denies using white phosphorus in a manner that contravenes the law.

Why is white phosphorus dangerous to civilians?

The substance can cause indiscriminate harm. According to Human Rights Watch, a single white phosphorus artillery shell can cover an area with a diameter of 125 to 250 meters if it explodes in the air.

Once it lands, it adheres to skin and clothing, causing severe burns that penetrate bones and produce particles harmful to the eyes and upper respiratory tract, with potentially fatal outcomes.

White phosphorus is challenging to extinguish and can reignite upon re-exposure to oxygen.

“It can still burn for several days or weeks later,” said Budour Hassan, Amnesty International’s researcher on Israel and Palestine. “Our investigators visited places in Gaza days after, where white phosphorus was air-dropped, and it was still there.”

What do we know about Israel’s current and past use of white phosphorus?

The New York Times reported that Israel utilized white phosphorus in Nabatieh, a town with around 40,000 residents. The newspaper also confirmed footage showing the chemical’s use near the city of Tyre and three other towns since March. Human Rights Watch also independently verified the use of incendiary weapons over homes in southern Lebanon on March 3.

The rights group also stated that the Israeli military used white phosphorus in civilian areas in Lebanon during a previous conflict with Hezbollah in 2023, as well as in Gaza. HRW’s Kaiss mentioned that the chemical forced Lebanese civilians to flee their homes near the Israeli border, leaving them displaced.

A previous Human Rights Watch investigation found Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza in 2009. Israel did pledge to significantly reduce its use of the substance in 2013.

Israel is not alone in deploying white phosphorus. The United States has also used the substance, most recently in Iraq in 2017, which the U.S. said it did to provide cover for civilians fleeing west Mosul as the U.S. and Iraqi forces fought the Islamic State inside the city.

The Washington Post reported in 2023 that the U.S. had provided the white phosphorus used by Israel’s military in Lebanon.