Special report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts [Gallery] [Videos]

    JERUSALEM, Sept.12 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) heavily used cluster bombs and phosphorous shells during the Lebanese war, local daily Ha'aretz reported on Tuesday.

    Ha'aretz quoted the head of an IDF rocket unit in Lebanon as reporting that the IDF fired around 1,800 cluster bombs, containing over 1.2 million cluster bomblets, in the 34-day offensive in Lebanon.

    "What we did was insane and monstrous, we covered entire towns in cluster bombs," the official was quoted as saying regarding the use of cluster bombs during the conflict.

    The unexploded cluster bombs, which were estimated by the United Nations to be around 40 percent of those fired by the IDF in Lebanon, remain on the ground as dangerous munitions. Because of the high level of failure to detonate, it is believed that there are around 500,000 unexploded munitions in Lebanon.

    To date, 12 Lebanese civilians have been killed by these explosive devices since the end of the conflict. In addition, soldiers in IDF artillery units testified that the army used phosphorous shells during the war, which are widely forbidden by international law.

    According to their claims, the vast majority of those rounds were fired in the final 10 days of the conflict. The rocket unit commander also stated that Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) platforms were heavily used in spite of the fact that they were known to be highly inaccurate. MLRS is a track or tire carried mobile rocket launching platform, capable of firing a very high volume of mostly unguided munitions.

    The use of such weaponry is controversial mainly due to its inaccuracy and ability to wreak great havoc against indeterminate targets over large areas of territory, with a margin of error of as much as 1,200 meters from the intended target to the area hit.

    During the conflict in Lebanon, UN humanitarian officials has accused Israel of dropping large numbers of cluster bombs on Lebanon when a cease-fire with Hezbollah was in sight. However, IDF has stated that all the weapons it uses "are legal under international law and their use conforms with international standards." Enditem