Evidence

Multiple outlets reported this specific incident. Middle East Eye (citing Lebanon's state-run National News Agency) reported the Israeli army dropped white phosphorus over the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah near Nabatieh. TRT World likewise cited NNA reporting phosphorus shells used in renewed attacks on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and nearby Nabatieh al-Fawqa. A separate Al Mayadeen/Israel Palestine News report noted Israeli artillery and airstrikes hitting Zawtar al-Sharqiyah among areas covered by a joint Human Rights Watch/Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic report documenting 23 verified white phosphorus incidents in south Lebanon between March and May 2026. NPR and israelpalestinenews.org additionally cite a New York Times investigation and HRW verifying white phosphorus use in Nabatieh city and other southern Lebanese towns during the same period, corroborating the broader pattern described in the claim, though the NYT/HRW verification specifically named is centered on Nabatieh city, Tyre, Yohmor and other towns rather than pinpointing Zawtar al-Sharqiyah by name in the geolocated cases I found.