Lebanese militants broke international humanitarian law by firing thousands of rockets into Israel and killing dozens of civilians during the recent conflict, an Amnesty International report charged Thursday. The human rights group called for a United Nations inquiry into war crimes possibly committed by both Israel and Hezbollah, but their report focused on the actions of the Lebanese militants during the 34-day conflict.Hezbollah launched nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel in July and August, killing at least 150 Israelis, including 39 civilians. The firing of rockets into urban areas in northern Israel disregarded international laws that call for distinction between civilian and military targets, Amnesty said. "Targeting civilians is a war crime. There's no gray area," said Larry Cox, Amnesty's executive director in the United States.
Although Hezbollah denies targeting Israeli civilians, it fired inaccurate rockets packed with thousands of metal ball bearings that sprayed out to maximize harm to civilians, Amnesty said. The report is Amnesty's most extensive condemnation of Hezbollah since the conflict began in July, and comes after Amnesty accused Israel of violating international law with indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilian targets in Lebanon. The human rights group previously called on the Lebanese militia to release two kidnapped Israeli soldiers and abstain from targeting civilians.