(Dan Tri) – Washington Post reported that Israel is suspected of using US-made white phosphorus bullets to attack a small village in southern Lebanon.

US-made white phosphorus smoke bullet fragments were found in Dheira village, Lebanon (Photo: Washington Post).

The incident is said to have occurred during Israel’s October 16 shelling of Dheira village, causing at least 4 houses to burn down and at least 9 civilians to be injured.

A Washington Post reporter discovered fragments of three 155mm artillery shells at the scene.

White phosphorus would spontaneously combust when exposed to air, creating thick white smoke to conceal military operations.

White phosphorus bullets are not banned by international law, but international human rights groups say their use is `inhumane`.

The Washington Post quoted a weapons expert as saying that artillery shell fragments collected from the scene contained production codes `consistent with the naming scheme used by the US military to classify domestically produced ammunition`.

On the left is one of two fragments of a white phosphorus smoke-generating artillery shell found in Dheira village.

Based on the markings and light green color of the bullet fragments, the Washington Post reported that these bullets were produced in the US states of Louisiana and Arkansas in 1989 and 1992. The bullet body had the word `WP` stamped on it.

The Washington Post points out that Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have also verified that the above artillery shells originated from the US.

When asked about accusations that Israel used white phosphorus in Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: `The Israel Defense Forces and the entire security agency act in accordance with international law. That’s how they act.`

The White House has spoken out.

Mr. Kirby points out that white phosphorus has legitimate military uses for lighting and smoke generation.

`Every time we provide white phosphorus weapons to other militaries, we expect that they will be used entirely in accordance with that legitimate use and in compliance with the laws of armed conflict,` Mr. Kirby said.

Tensions along Lebanon’s southern border between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed armed force, have been simmering since a Hamas attack on October 7.

Dheira, a town of 2,000 people, has become the focus of fighting.

According to data released by the Lebanese Ministry of Health on December 5, at least 94 people have died on the Lebanese side of the border since tensions escalated.