label D528 These shells have a distinctive pale green color and red and yellow colour bands, as well as visible markings reading M825A1 and D528, respectively the shell’s nomenclature and the US Department of Defense Identification Code (DODIC) for white phosphorus-based ammunition..
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White phosphorus is a chemical substance used in artillery shells, bombs, and rockets, primarily for creating smokescreens and obscuring military operations, but it can also be employed as an incendiary weapon. 1
When used as an incendiary weapon, white phosphorus can cause severe burns, respiratory damage, organ failure, and long-term physical and psychological suffering for survivors. 2
Under international law, incendiary weapons like white phosphorus are not explicitly banned, but states are required to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians when using such weapons. 3
The Israeli army's indiscriminate use of white phosphorus in Lebanon's Dhayra town on October 16, 2023, has seriously endangered the lives of civilians, resulted in hospitalizations, displacement, and property damage, according to Amnesty International. 4
