HRW Condemns Hezbollah Use of Cluster Munitions

Human Rights Watch has stated that Hezbollah’s deployment of cluster munitions in attacks on northern Israel in March potentially constitutes a war crime. According to the organization, these weapons were fired at civilian towns following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, an event that drew Lebanon into renewed conflict. The NGO emphasized that while no civilian casualties were immediately reported from these specific incidents, the nature of the weapons poses a long-term threat to safety.

Cluster munitions are explosive devices that disperse hundreds of smaller submunitions over a wide area. Many of these submunitions fail to explode upon impact, remaining as de facto landmines that can kill or maim civilians for decades after hostilities have ended. Patrick Thompson, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, noted that such weapons are inherently indiscriminate and their use in civilian areas represents a flagrant violation of international law.

Legal Framework and State Obligations

The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, ratified by 112 states including Lebanon, prohibits the use of these weapons. Although Hezbollah is a non-state armed group and thus not formally bound by the treaty, the organization remains responsible for adhering to the laws of war. Human Rights Watch researchers visited the village of Metula in May to analyze impact sites and interview witnesses, confirming the presence of these banned weapons. Despite publicly claiming responsibility for the March attacks, Hezbollah denied to the NGO that it possessed or used cluster munitions.

Witness Accounts in Metula

Residents of Metula described the immediate aftermath of the March 4 attack, which struck a residential street near a cemetery. One witness, identified as Hagai, recounted running to a shelter with his family after hearing sirens. Authorities instructed residents to remain indoors for a full day while the military cleared the area of unexploded submunitions. The attack resulted in significant property damage, including destroyed vehicles, broken windows, and severed water pipes, with unexploded ordnance found on residential rooftops.

Long-Term Security Concerns

Local residents continue to express anxiety over the lingering presence of unexploded ordnance. Hagai noted that he instructs his children to avoid retrieving objects like basketballs from grassy areas, fearing hidden explosives. Although military teams have checked the sites, the thoroughness of such searches in dense vegetation remains a concern for the community. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has also confirmed that Hezbollah fired unguided rockets into populated areas, further violating the laws of war.

As per the report from GN geopolitics/rights (en-US), the focus now shifts to the enforcement of these norms. The international community is left to determine whether further diplomatic or legal measures will be taken to address the use of such weapons, while local communities continue to navigate the risks of unstable terrain.