Exclusive: Israel Used Widely Banned Cluster Munitions in Lebanon War
The Israeli military has used widely banned cluster munitions during its 13-month war in Lebanon, with photos of munition remnants found by The Guardian suggesting the use of two new types of cluster munitions not seen since the 2006 Lebanon war.
Experts who have verified the images say that the remnants show evidence of the 155mm M999 Barak Eitan and 227mm Ra'am Eitan guided missiles, both developed by Elbit Systems. These new cluster munitions are designed to be more precise than their predecessors but experts say they can still cause widespread harm.
The use of cluster munitions is banned under international law due to the high risk they pose to civilians. Despite this, Israel has used these weapons in its conflict with Hezbollah, leaving much of Lebanon's south in ruins and causing widespread civilian casualties.
Photos of the remnants found by The Guardian show that the munitions were used in heavily forested valleys in southern Lebanon, an area where Israeli forces accused Hezbollah militants of hiding during the war. However, experts say that cluster munitions are not a precise weapon and can cause significant harm to civilians even when they are fired in areas without enemy targets.
"Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate and there is no way to employ them lawfully or responsibly," said Brian Castner, head of crisis research at Amnesty International. "Civilians bear the brunt of the risk as these weapons stay deadly for decades to come."
Human rights groups have long argued that cluster munitions are banned internationally for a reason: they pose too great a risk to civilians. The use of these weapons in Lebanon has sparked outrage, with many accusing Israel of violating international law.
Israel has denied using cluster munitions during the war, but photos and expert analysis suggest otherwise. The Israeli military said it "uses only lawful weapons, in accordance with international law and while mitigating harm to civilians."
The use of cluster munitions is a deeply contentious issue, with many arguing that they are too dangerous to be used under any circumstances. As experts verify the images of the remnants found by The Guardian, the world watches anxiously for further evidence of Israel's actions in Lebanon.
Critics say that Elbit Systems' claims about the low dud rate of its cluster munitions have been misleading and that it is impossible to use these weapons in a way that minimizes harm to civilians. They argue that even with improved designs, cluster munitions remain a deadly threat to people who stumble upon them or are caught in their blast radius.
In a move that highlights the complexity of the issue, Israel has sought to develop new cluster munitions that leave fewer unexploded ordnance behind. However, experts say these efforts only serve to increase public skepticism about the use of such weapons and highlight the need for greater international action against the development and deployment of cluster munitions.
The debate over the ethics of using cluster munitions is likely to continue as more evidence emerges. For now, one thing is clear: the world will be watching closely as experts verify the images of the Israeli cluster munition remnants found in Lebanon.
The Israeli military has used widely banned cluster munitions during its 13-month war in Lebanon, with photos of munition remnants found by The Guardian suggesting the use of two new types of cluster munitions not seen since the 2006 Lebanon war.
Experts who have verified the images say that the remnants show evidence of the 155mm M999 Barak Eitan and 227mm Ra'am Eitan guided missiles, both developed by Elbit Systems. These new cluster munitions are designed to be more precise than their predecessors but experts say they can still cause widespread harm.
The use of cluster munitions is banned under international law due to the high risk they pose to civilians. Despite this, Israel has used these weapons in its conflict with Hezbollah, leaving much of Lebanon's south in ruins and causing widespread civilian casualties.
Photos of the remnants found by The Guardian show that the munitions were used in heavily forested valleys in southern Lebanon, an area where Israeli forces accused Hezbollah militants of hiding during the war. However, experts say that cluster munitions are not a precise weapon and can cause significant harm to civilians even when they are fired in areas without enemy targets.
"Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate and there is no way to employ them lawfully or responsibly," said Brian Castner, head of crisis research at Amnesty International. "Civilians bear the brunt of the risk as these weapons stay deadly for decades to come."
Human rights groups have long argued that cluster munitions are banned internationally for a reason: they pose too great a risk to civilians. The use of these weapons in Lebanon has sparked outrage, with many accusing Israel of violating international law.
Israel has denied using cluster munitions during the war, but photos and expert analysis suggest otherwise. The Israeli military said it "uses only lawful weapons, in accordance with international law and while mitigating harm to civilians."
The use of cluster munitions is a deeply contentious issue, with many arguing that they are too dangerous to be used under any circumstances. As experts verify the images of the remnants found by The Guardian, the world watches anxiously for further evidence of Israel's actions in Lebanon.
Critics say that Elbit Systems' claims about the low dud rate of its cluster munitions have been misleading and that it is impossible to use these weapons in a way that minimizes harm to civilians. They argue that even with improved designs, cluster munitions remain a deadly threat to people who stumble upon them or are caught in their blast radius.
In a move that highlights the complexity of the issue, Israel has sought to develop new cluster munitions that leave fewer unexploded ordnance behind. However, experts say these efforts only serve to increase public skepticism about the use of such weapons and highlight the need for greater international action against the development and deployment of cluster munitions.
The debate over the ethics of using cluster munitions is likely to continue as more evidence emerges. For now, one thing is clear: the world will be watching closely as experts verify the images of the Israeli cluster munition remnants found in Lebanon.
!! experts say these new cluster munitions are designed to be more precise, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE! they can still cause widespread harm and it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt or killed because of them 
. i mean come on, israel, do you guys really need to develop new cluster munitions that leave fewer unexploded ordnance behind? aren't we all just gonna end up getting hurt anyway?! 
.
. And what's with the "we use only lawful weapons" line from the Israeli military? Like, that's just not good enough 
.
like, isnt there some kinda int'l law thingy? 
u guys remember those pics from 2006 lebanon war? same vibes, different munitions 
elbit systems claims theyre more precise, but experts say otherwise 
. Can't stress enough how deadly these things are to civilians 
, and it's just not worth the risk 
. International law is clear: no more excuses 
.
. It's crazy that Israel used these banned cluster munitions in Lebanon even though we know they're super deadly for civilians. I mean, come on, who needs that kind of harm? 
.
i mean we all knew israel was going to play dirty with those cluster bombs. its like they think theyre above international law or something? newsflash israel: using banned weapons on civilians isnt a good look for you 
. And isnt it ironic that they're trying to make new cluster munitions that leave fewer unexploded ordnance behind? like who cares about that when people are still getting hurt?
. Elbit Systems claims the dud rate is low but I'm not buying it 
. This is not a new issue and we cant just sweep it under the rug anymore 
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. The text is all jumbled together without any clear sections or headings 
. It's like trying to read a mess of notes on a bulletin board 
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.
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. it's not like the enemy was hidin or anythin', it's just civilian casualties for no reason at all. and the fact that Israel's tryin to spin it as if they're bein careful is just laughable