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Fifteen UN peacekeepers required treatment after Israel used what is suspected to be white phosphorus in the vicinity of their base in southern Lebanon, a confidential report obtained by The National says.
The report for the UN Interim Force In Lebanon outlines how Israeli forces fighting Hezbollah have deliberately attacked Unifil bases and shot at lighting and watchtowers, injuring peacekeepers.
White phosphorus is a toxic chemical that can cause respiratory damage and organ failure when inhaled, and severe burns on skin contact. It is highly flammable and can reignite when exposed to oxygen, even weeks later, causing fires and destroying land, civilian structures and crops.
On October 13, Unifil reported that two Israeli tanks breached the gates of a base, sparking a security incident. About 45 minutes after the tanks withdrew, peacekeepers heard a blast and saw thick smoke entering the area from the north of the camp.
“Despite putting on protective masks, 15 peacekeepers suffered effects, including skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions after the smoke entered the camp,” the report says.
The report, shared by one of the 50 nations contributing troops to Unifil, indicated that the smoke was caused by “suspected white phosphorus".
White phosphorus is not a banned substance under international law and the US says it can have a legitimate military purpose, but rights groups have said its intentional use against civilians could constitute a war crime.
According to Human Rights Watch, white phosphorus is used in the military to “obscure, mark, signal, or smoke out enemy forces”.
Pentagon press secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder did not comment on the report, but said white phosphorus is used as a "signalling capability that you can use to hone in on targets … it does have a legitimate use in combat operations".
Israel's claimed use of white phosphorous at Unifil bases dates back as far as November 2023 and was reported to the UN Security Council in March.
Photographs included in the report showed tanks breaching the base's gates and damaging perimeter walls, and white smoke lingering in the air, as well as images of injured Indonesian peacekeepers. The 10-page report stated that the Israeli military “deliberately” attacked Unifil bases and shot out lights.
On October 10, two Indonesian peacekeepers were injured when an Israeli Merkava tank fired at an observation tower at Unifil's headquarters in Naqoura. The same day, Israeli forces fired on a UN site in Labbouneh, hitting the entrance to a bunker where Italian peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system.
On October 11, two other UN peacekeepers were wounded by an Israeli strike near their watchtower in south Lebanon.
The peacekeeping force has already disclosed many details of the attacks, but the report provides further insight into the challenges Unifil faces in maintaining operations in war-torn southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has a network of tunnels and hidden missile launchers.
The photographs reveal the extensive damage to troop bunkers, perimeter walls and observation towers, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Israel has demanded that Unifil vacate 31 of its bases along the Israeli Lebanese border, saying these areas have become “active combat zones” as it increases efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure.
Hezbollah has been launching missile attacks into Israel since October 8 last year, claiming solidarity with Hamas. Israeli authorities claim many of these rockets are fired from sites near Unifil bases, raising concerns over the proximity of peacekeepers to continuing hostilities.
Unifil has been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978, tasked with monitoring hostilities and assisting in the implementation of peace agreements between Israel and Lebanon.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, Hezbollah and Israel are prohibited from conducting military operations in southern Lebanon.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS
Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
