Between 12 July and 14 August 2006, a major military confrontation took place between Israel and Lebanon. Israeli Forces (IF) used artillery weapons, direct fire weapons, air-delivered munitions and naval artillery and deployed infantry and armored incursions against Lebanon. Hezbollah used rockets and direct fire weapons against Israel.
An estimated two million cluster munitions1, mainly variations of the Dual Purpose Conventional Improved Munitions (DPICM), “M”, e.g. M 42/ M 77/ M 46 / M 85 series and spin-stabilised generic types, BLU, were fired into South Lebanon during the war. The emerging failure rate in South Lebanon is up to 40 %, in particular for the BLU 63/61 series.2
Lessons learned from the Lebanese conflict are important due to the scale of the cluster munitions contamination post-war; the rapid return of large numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) to contaminated areas; and the rapid response of the United Nations and NGOs to the post war cluster munitions clearance needs over a very short period of time.
This Technical Note for Mine Action (TN) is based on an existing GICHD Advisory Note 1.0, Sub- Munitions and Cluster Bomblets, Render Safe Procedures, and lessons and observations from a GICHD field mission to Lebanon.
Where relevant, National Mine Action Authorities (NMAA) and mine action organisations may choose to incorporate the recommendations and best practices included in this TN into their policies, standards, procedures and operations.