White phosphorus bombs fired by Israel is seen on Lebanon border, November 12, 2023. (Reuters)

New York, November 28 (RHC)-- A U.S.-based rights group has called on Washington to investigate Israel’s use of American weapons to commit war crimes in Lebanon.  This comes following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday. 

Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), said on Wednesday: “Now that a ceasefire has gone into effect, the U.S. should investigate Israel’s use of U.S.-made weapons in apparent war crimes in Lebanon during this conflict.”

The rights group said Israel had used internationally banned phosphorous munitions and US-made arms to target civilians and journalists during its aggression against Lebanon. 

“The Biden administration has a responsibility to ensure US arms have not facilitated violations of international law in incidents such as Israeli strikes on journalists in Hasbaya last month and white phosphorus attacks in Dhayra last year,” Whitson said.

A media investigation recently revealed that an Israeli airstrike using American weapons that killed three journalists in southern Lebanon in October was likely to have been deliberate, amounting to a potential war crime.   The Guardian reported on November 25 that experts in international humanitarian law have encouraged further investigation.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has also called for an immediate international investigation into the deadly Israeli strike in Lebanon that killed three members of the media last month.

During the early hours of October 25, an Israeli warplane dropped two bombs on a chalet hosting journalists.  The strike was carried out using an air-dropped bomb equipped with a U.S.-produced bomb guidance kit.

After the strike, the Israeli military claimed it had struck a “Hezbollah military structure.” A few hours later, the regime said the incident was “under review” following reports that journalists were hit.  Israel in recent months also repeatedly used U.S.-supplied white phosphorus munitions in southern Lebanon. 

DAWN also called on the Biden administration to prioritize securing a Gaza ceasefire, and to cease vetoing UN Security Council resolutions that call for one.