Hizbullah accuses Israel of using cluster bombs

Al-Jazeera satellite TV said that Hizbullah reported on Friday that it has evidence that Israel used cluster bombs in the confrontations which extended until the Syrian al-Ghajer village located on the border between Lebanon and the occupied Golan.

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org) says about cluster bombs "depending on type and their use, between 1% and 40% the bomblets do not explode on impact. These unexploded ordnance (duds) may unintentionally act like anti-personnel land mines (which have been banned in many countries under the Ottawa Treaty) for many years."

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says "As cluster bombs spread their effects over wide areas and can have far-reaching consequences, ICRC strongly believes that these weapons should not be used against military objectives in populated areas.. Working in war zones, ICRC witnesses first-hand the humanitarian consequences of unexploded cluster bombs and other munitions. Such weapons kill and injure civilians long after a conflict has ended. They also block the delivery of humanitarian assistance, prevent the cultivation of crops and slow the reconstruction of war-affected areas."

The Lebanese government in its ordinary session on Thursday discussed the situation in the south, and prime minister Fouad Sinioura held Israel responsible for the escalation by its continued occupation of the Shabaa Farms.

However, cautious calm prevailed south Lebanon in which strong wind pushed an Israeli parachutist to fall into the Lebanese territories on Wednesday. Both fighters of the Hizbullah and the Israeli forces exchanged fire while the pilot was hurrying to return back to Israel. No casualties were reported.