WASHINGTON: White House national security spokesman John Kirby has said the Biden administration is concerned about reports that Israel used white phosphorus bombs supplied by the United States in Lebanon attack.
Kirby told reporters that they have seen the reports and the US is certainly concerned about that. He added that they will be asking questions to learn a little bit more about the reports.
A Washington Post analysis claims that Israel used US-supplied white phosphorus munitions in an October attack in southern Lebanon resulting in injuries to at least nine civilians and the destruction of several homes.
He said that white phosphorus does have a legitimate military utility but the US expects that it would be used in laws of armed conflict.
Human rights groups criticize use of phosphorus bombs in conflicts
White phosphorus, a waxlike chemical substance that ignites when encounters with oxygen, is usually not considered a chemical weapon, but human rights groups regularly criticize its use in conflicts.
The alleged use of white phosphorus bombs by Israel in Lebanon raises concerns about the effect of the phosphorous bomb on civilians and potential violations of international law. White phosphorus bombs can cause severe burns and poses a significant risk to civilian populations because of its flammable nature.
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In October, Human Rights Watch had conducted a probe, saying that verified footage from Lebanon and Gaza showed multiple incidents of firing of white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations near Lebanon-Israel border.
