Did Israel use US-supplied white phosphorus in Lebanon attack? White House says, ‘Certainly concerned…asking questions’

The White House has expressed concern over the reports that Israel used US-supplied white phosphorus in attacks on Lebanon, adding that it was seeking more details about the allegations.

Speaking to reporters, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said the US will be asking questions to get more details about it and stressed that the country provides material like white phosphorus to another military with the full expectation that it will be used for legitimate purposes, keeping up with the law of armed conflict.

He said, "We've seen the reports. Certainly concerned about that. We'll be asking questions to try to learn a little bit more. I do think it's important to remind that white phosphorus does have a legitimate military utility in terms of illumination and producing smoke to conceal movements." 

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“And obviously, anytime that we provide items like white phosphorus to another military, it is with the full expectation that it will be used in keeping with those legitimate purposes and in keeping with the law of armed conflict. But we've seen these reports. They're fresh. Just don't have any more on it right now,” he added.

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Kirby made remarks in response to The Washington Post report which claimed that US-supplied white phosphorus munitions were used in an October attack in southern Lebanon. Lebanon has accused Israel of repeatedly using the incendiary weapon in October, while the Washington Post on Monday said analysis of shell fragments from one attack showed the rounds were US-made. 

The report further added that said nine civilians were injured in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon using what appeared to be US-supplied white phosphorus. A journalist working for the newspaper found remnants of three artillery rounds with serial numbers showing they were made in the United States in 1989 and 1992, it said.

On 31 October, Lebanon said that Israel's use of the weapon in "repeated" attacks -- amid tensions following the October 7 attacks on Israel by the Hamas movement in Gaza -- had burned 40,000 olive trees.

What did Israel say on The Washington Post report

The Israel Defence Forces said that it "only uses legal weaponry." It said that the shells used by the IDF do not contain white phosphorus, which are legal as per international law, The Times of Israel reported. "The main smoke shells used by the IDF do not contain white phosphorus. Similar to many Western armies, the IDF also has smoke shells that contain white phosphorus, which are legal according to international law, and the choice to use them is influenced by operational considerations and availability compared to alternatives," the IDF said.

"These shells are intended for smokescreens, and not for an attack or ignition, and they are not legally defined as incendiary weapons," it added, The Times of Israel reported.

The IDF said that under its existing procedures, white phosphorus shells are not to be utilised in urban regions, "except in certain exceptional cases." It said, "These restrictions are in line with international law, and are even stricter than [the latter]," The Times of Israel reported.

Since October 7, tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid exchanges of gunfire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The tensions between two sides started amid Israel's counter-offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, followed by cross-border attack by terror group Hamas. 

(With inputs from ANI, AFP)