Videos emerge

Israel with catapult and arrows against Hezbollah

Catapults hurl incendiary projectiles into Lebanese territory to decimate Hezbollah's hiding places.

(Bild: APA/AP)

Israel's army is considered to be one of the best equipped in the world. But now footage is spreading on social media showing soldiers using a medieval-looking catapult or bow and arrow to shoot at hideouts of the Shia militia Hezbollah.

Since the beginning of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 7, Israel and Hezbollah fighters have been firing at each other almost daily. The intensity of the fighting has increased in recent days. Hezbollah attacks on Israel's northern border region have intensified, especially after the killing of senior commander Taleb Sami Abdallah. Instead of air strikes, however, Israel has now responded with incendiary bullets.

Videos are currently circulating on the short message platform X showing a so-called trebuchet hurling burning ammunition over the border wall. Other recordings also show burning arrows being shot in the direction of Lebanon.

Army speaks of "local initiative"
The aim is apparently to burn dense undergrowth in the border area so that enemy fighters cannot hide there, the public broadcaster Kan reported on Thursday. According to Kan, the army said it was only a "local initiative" and not a weapon with widespread use.

Catapults hurl incendiary projectiles into Lebanese territory in order to decimate Hezbollah's hiding places.

(Bild: APA/AP)

NGO deplores use of phosphorus bombs
However, setting fires has long been part of the Israeli army's tactical repertoire. The newspaper "Israel Hayom", for example, reports on earlier use of Molotov cocktails thrown at the Lebanese side. The human rights organization Amnesty International has already complained several times that the Israeli air force is also dropping phosphorus bombs.

White phosphorus begins to burn as soon as it comes into contact with oxygen and is very difficult to extinguish. The weather in the region is hot and dry, so fires can spread quickly. In recent days, fires have also broken out on the Israeli side following Hezbollah attacks.