US munitions used in Israeli strike that killed paramedics in Lebanon
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The disclosure of “Israel's” use of US weaponry in the airstrike that killed seven medical workers in Lebanon coincides with reports of Secretary of State Antony Blinken preparing a May 8 report to Congress.
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Medical workers inspect the site of the Israeli airstrike in Hebbariyeh. (AFP via Getty Images)
"Israel" employed a US weapon in a March airstrike that resulted in the killing of seven healthcare workers in southern Lebanon, an analysis by The Guardian revealed on Monday.
Described by Human Rights Watch as a breach of international law, the attack occurred on March 27 against an ambulance center owned by the Lebanese Succor Association in the town of Hebbariyeh. The victims, aged between 18 and 25, were volunteer paramedics.
جمعية الإسعاف اللبنانية #الهباريه pic.twitter.com/ADM4LXwRdB
— Moussa Bashir (@MoussaBashir) March 27, 2024
Remnants of both a 500-pound Israeli MPR bomb and a US-made Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) retrieved by first responders from the attack site have been analyzed by The Guardian.
In further detail, pictures of the shrapnel provided by The Guardian were independently verified by Human Rights Watch and an arms expert.
It is worth noting that JDAMs, manufactured by US aerospace company Boeing, are guidance kits designed to attach to "dumb bombs" weighing between 500 to 2,000 pounds, transforming them into GPS-guided precision missiles. These munitions have consistently been utilized in Israeli military aggressions in Gaza and Lebanon and have been among the most requested weapons from the US.
Shrapnel retrieved from the Hebbariyeh attack included a fragment labeled "bomb MPR 500," along with components of a JDAM used to attach the bomb to the guidance system and remnants of its motor.
Human Rights Watch stated that its investigation determined the airstrike on the healthcare center was illegal and should have consequences for US military support to "Israel".
“Israel’s assurances that it is using US weapons lawfully are not credible. As Israel’s conduct in Gaza and Lebanon continues to violate international law, the Biden administration should immediately suspend arms sales to Israel,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon's researcher for Human Rights Watch as quoted by The Guardian.
'Israel' consistently targeting health and aid workers
Five days following the assault on healthcare workers in Lebanon, "Israel" fatally targeted seven aid workers working for the World Central Kitchen in Gaza. This incident sparked widespread global condemnation and was termed a "serious mistake" by "Israel".
The disclosure of "Israel's" utilization of US weaponry in the attack coincides with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's reportedly scheduled submission of a report to Congress on May 8, assessing the credibility of "Israel's" assurances regarding the compliance of its use of US weapons with US and international laws.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen emphasized that the airstrike on Hebbariyeh should be addressed in Blinken's report to Congress.
“These reports are deeply concerning and must be fully investigated by the Biden administration, and their findings should certainly be included in the NSM-20 report that is due to be submitted to Congress on May 8,” Van Hollen said in an email as reported by The Guardian.
Meanwhile, the death toll of civilians in Gaza surpasses 34,000 due to "Israel's" ongoing genocide, and there is increasing public pressure to restrict or halt the transfer of US weapons to "Israel".
No reports of fighting in area
In Lebanon, the assault on Hebbariyeh profoundly impacted the nation, drawing hundreds to the funeral of the young medical workers: twin brothers Hussein and Ahmad al-Shaar, aged 18; Abdulrahman al-Shaar, aged 19; Mohammad Hamoud, aged 21; Mohammad al-Farouk Aatwi, aged 23; Abdullah Aatwi, aged 24; and Baraa Abu Kaiss, aged 24.
The ambulance center was established in a small village in South Lebanon at the end of October, coinciding with escalating Israeli aggression against Lebanon.
The airstrike occurred abruptly between 12:30 and 1:00 am while the volunteers were on standby for the night shift, with no preceding reports of fighting in the area that day.
The explosion from the 500-pound bomb destroyed the two-story building, ejecting four of the volunteers from the center and burying three others under the debris.
The majority of the volunteers, who were predominantly young university students, enlisted in the ambulance corps after the onset of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, driven by a sense of obligation to their community, as reported by their parents.
“I told them that it was dangerous to do this type of work, but they said that they accepted the risk. I don’t know what Israel was thinking – these were young people excited to help others,” said Kassem al-Shaar, whose twin sons Ahmad and Hussein were killed in the airstrike, as reported by The Guardian.
US violated Leahy Law
According to the 1997 Leahy Law, the US defense and state departments are barred from offering aid to foreign security forces if there is "credible information" suggesting their involvement in serious human rights abuses.
Internal policies within the State Department have shielded "Israel" from enforcement of the Leahy Law, as per a report released by The Guardian in January.
A representative from the US National Security Council acknowledged awareness of reports regarding the Hebbariyeh attack and claimed that they were communicating with Israeli officials to gather additional information.
Josh Paul, a non-resident fellow at Democracy for the Arab World Now, a non-profit organization focusing on democracy and human rights, and a former State Department official responsible for the weapons transfer process, stated that arms transfers involving munitions such as JDAMs are authorized with minimal examination.
“The state department has approved several of these transfers on a 48-hour turnaround. There is no policy concern on any munitions to Israel other than white phosphorus and cluster bombs,” Paul stressed as quoted by The Guardian.
In December, Amnesty International urged the US to halt arms transfers to "Israel" following the discovery of remnants of JDAMs in two Gaza attacks that resulted in the killing of over 43 individuals.
Since October 7, "Israel" has been responsible for the killing of at least 16 medical workers in Lebanon. It is worth noting that targeting medical personnel is considered a war crime under international law.
An Israeli airstrike on a healthcare center in the southern town of Blida killed two paramedics.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 23, 2024
Hussein Mohammad Khalil and Mohammad Yaaqoub Ismail fell victim to Israeli brutality that does not even spare healthcare systems, ambulances, and personnel. #Lebanon's Health… pic.twitter.com/3yqYsKWJvA
