Evidence Shows Israel Used Cluster Munitions in Lebanon, a Weapon Banned for Its Civilian Impact

"Cluster munitions release dozens or hundreds of "bomblets" that have a high failure rate, leaving explosive hazards. These munitions scatter dozens or hundreds of "bomblets" across an area spanning several football fields. For decades, "civilians have paid dearly for [cluster munitions'] unreliability and inaccuracy," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has noted, as the weapons are imprecise by definition."

"They are especially dangerous as up to 40 percent of submunitions don't explode on impact, leaving behind unexploded ordnance that could potentially harm civilians later if they come across them. These munitions can travel far and wide. ICRC has noted that "[t]heir small size, their use of parachutes and ribbons and other features mean that their descent is often affected by weather (wind, air density, etc.) and they may land far from the intended target. ""

"Photo evidence of Israeli munitions remnants from three different locations in southern Lebanon suggests that the weapons were cluster munitions, The Guardian reported Wednesday, citing half a dozen arms experts who examined the photos. The evidence was found south of the Litani River, in Wadi Zibqin, Wadi Barghouz, and Wadi Deir Siryan, The Guardian found. The publication reports that this is the first evidence of such munitions being used in Lebanon since Israel first used them in its invasion of Lebanon in 2006."

Israeli forces deployed cluster munitions in southern Lebanon, with remnants identified at multiple sites south of the Litani River. Photographic evidence and expert analysis indicate submunitions were scattered across wide areas, some spanning several football fields. Up to 40 percent of bomblets may fail to detonate, leaving unexploded ordnance that can injure or kill civilians who later encounter them. Bomblets can drift far from intended targets because their small size and parachute or ribbon features make descent sensitive to weather. The occurrence is the first confirmed use in Lebanon since 2006 and comes despite a ceasefire agreement; a 2008 treaty bans such weapons.

Read at Truthout