Jerusalem, Israel - We Used Banned Bombs in War Against Lebanon

Jerusalem, Israel - The Israeli Army dropped phosphorous bombs on Hezbollah guerrilla targets during their war in Lebanon this summer, an Israeli cabinet minister said, confirming Lebanese allegations for the first time.

Until now, Israel had said it only used the weapons - which cause severe chemical burns - to mark targets or territory.
But cabinet minister Yaakov Edri said Israel used the weapons in its 34-day war against Hezbollah. "The Israeli Army made use of phosphorous shells during the war against Hezbollah in attacks against military targets in open ground."
White phosphorous is a translucent wax-like substance with a pungent smell that, once ignited, creates intense heat and smoke. The Geneva Conventions ban using white phosphorous against civilians or civilian areas.

The United States acknowledged last year that U.S. troops used white phosphorous as a weapon against insurgent strongholds during the battle of Fallujah in November 2004, but said it had never been used against civilian targets.