The Israeli army fired artillery shells containing white phosphorus, an incendiary weapon, in military operations along Lebanon’s southern border between 10 and 16 October 2023.

  • ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    55
    arrow-down
    10
    ·
    1 year ago

    I think it also depends on how it’s used. Like if it’s used to create a smokescreen or to light up a battle field, it’s not a war crime. If it’s used as an offensive weapon, especially in an area with civilians, it almost certainly is a war crime since, regardless of whether it’s a chemical weapon, there’s no real way to aim it at military targets without it raining down on civilians. At that point, it becomes a Geneva Conventions violation and every country has ratified the core of the Geneva Conventions.

    • Silverseren@kbin.socialOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      48
      arrow-down
      7
      ·
      1 year ago

      Indeed. And per the above article,

      One attack on the town of Dhayra on 16 October must be investigated as a war crime because it was an indiscriminate attack that injured at least nine civilians and damaged civilian objects, and was therefore unlawful

      It does sounds like they just fired it at civilian locations to bolster their military actions.

      • mwguy@infosec.pub
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        29
        arrow-down
        26
        ·
        1 year ago

        9 casualties does not scream indiscriminate. Additionally the other example has 48 Hezbolla members and 4 civilians listed as casualties which also doesn’t scream indiscriminate.

          • MycoBro@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            9
            ·
            edit-2
            1 year ago

            Sometimes, especially after a long day, a few beers, and a joint, I start to think about all the people dying in Ukrainian and Palestine. I spent a year in Iraq so it’s not hard to imagine what the physical sensation of being in one of those foxholes are hiding in one of the blown outbuildings(I can quite honestly even smell the dust and mold in the hair. Kind of taste it. I spent a lot of time in J-dam’ed buildings)but what I can’t fucking imagine is the feeling of hopelessness the Palestinians must feel. Or any realistic Ukrainian. My point is, there is absolutely no one for those 9 people’s family to turn to and that’s horrifying

          • mwguy@infosec.pub
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            arrow-down
            6
            ·
            1 year ago

            I’m sure they don’t and they have that right. But that being said “indiscriminate” sort of has a meaning and connotation.

            And it’s not that these bombings absolutely couldn’t have been indiscriminate, however they either have to be the most incompetent military force on the planet to bomb a town of 4,000 people and kill 9 or truly God’s chosen army to indiscriminately bombing a place and kill 10x military casualties for every civilian one.