Flooding South Lebanon - Human Rights Watch

Timing and Targets: When and How Cluster Munitions Were Used
The Early Phases of the War
Israel launched sporadic cluster munition attacks on south Lebanon in the first two
weeks of the war. Human Rights Watch first confirmed Israeli use of cluster
munitions when it reported on a July 19 attack on Blida that left one civilian dead and
at least 12 wounded. 100 Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch researchers observed large
numbers of artillery-fired cluster munitions in the arsenals of the IDF artillery teams
deployed in Israel’s border with Lebanon.
Attacks increased in the days after the 48-hour partial cessation of air strikes of July
31 to August 1. Israeli soldiers serving with an MLRS unit told Human Rights Watch
that it was in August when they fired many of their cluster rockets. 101 Through field
visits and other sources, Human Rights Watch identified strikes that had taken place
before the last three days of the war in about 10 towns other than Blida: `Ainata,
`Aitaroun, Deir Qanoun, Hasbayya, Hebbariyeh, Kfar Dounine, Kfar Hamam, Rashaya
al Foukhar, Sawane, and Tair Debbe. 102
Human Rights Watch’s investigations and interviews indicate that Israel aimed some
of its cluster strikes prior to the last days at Hezbollah rocket launch sites, largely in
olive groves and tobacco fields. Some villagers told Human Rights Watch researchers
that Hezbollah fighters used such fields to fire rockets into Israel. 103 Others who
100 “Israeli Cluster Munitions Hit Civilians in Lebanon,” Human Rights Watch news release, July 24, 2006,
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/24/isrlpa13798.htm.
101 Human Rights Watch interviews with IDF reservists (names withheld), Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel, October 2006. A
launcher commander in the reserve MLRS unit said that this unit “did nothing” during the first week of conflict, and “only shot
sporadically” during the second week. He said the largest volume of fire for the reserve MLRS unit was during the third week,
immediately after the 48-hour ceasefire when civilians were told to leave. He said “we fired tons” during this time and noted
that one launcher under his command shot 60 pods (360 rockets, 231,840 M77 submunitions) in a 24-hour period during this
time. The volume of fire from his unit was reduced for the remainder of the conflict due to ammunition shortages.
102 Lebanese security forces, UN sources, and medical personnel also identified these sites. Dr. Nasser al-Din Kassir, a
surgeon at Hiram Hospital, told Human Rights Watch that during the war the hospital received at least four patients from Deir
Qanoun al-Nahr with cluster injuries. Human Rights Watch interview with Dr. Nasser al-Din Kassir, Hiram Hospital, Tyre,
August 30, 2006. See also Rym Ghazal and Leila Hatoum, “Investigators Probe Possible Use of Banned Weapons,” Daily Star,
July 26, 2006.
103 Human Rights Watch interview with Shawki Yousif, head of Hebbariyeh municipality, Hebbariyeh, October 22, 2006;
Human Rights Watch interview with Khalil Muhammad Hussein, farmer, Kfar Rommane, August 16, 2006; Human Rights Watch
interview with Salih Ramez Karashet, farmer, Hammoud Hospital, Saida, September 22, 2006; Human Rights Watch interview
with Hassan Muhammad Nasser, construction worker, `Ein Ba`al, September 22, 2006; Human Rights Watch interview with
Hussein `Ali Kiki, construction worker, `Ein Ba`al, September 22, 2006.
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Human Rights Watch February 2008