Israel uses medieval weapon to ignite bushes in Lebanon
Israeli troops have been filmed firing a trebuchet, a weapon used during mediaeval warfare, to shoot fireballs into southern Lebanon.
Footage circulated on social media on Thursday, showing Israeli troops looking on as the lever throws a flaming projectile over a fortified wall.
The Israeli military confirmed that the weapon had been used against Lebanon, but said it would not be used widely.
"This is a local initiative and not a tool that has come into widespread use," the military said in a statement.
According to the statement, the trebuchet was used in an attempt to burn Lebanese vegetation and thickets.
The low-tech siege weapon, which appeared to be made of wood, lost its relevance in the 15th century with the advent of reliable gunpowder artillery
Israeli media suggested that launching projectiles into Lebanon was aimed at exposing Hezbollah resistance fighters reportedly using the dense foliage as cover in the area. It could also be in preparation for a ground invasion.
Israeli troops have reportedly used Molotov cocktails, incendiary drones, and white phosphorous to set bushes in Lebanon on fire.
Last month, artillery shelling and white phosphorus attacks sparked wildfires in several villages in southern Lebanon, media reports said.
Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire since the eruption of the Gaza war in October.
The exchanges have escalated in recent weeks, with Hezbollah stepping up its drone attacks to hit Israeli military positions.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired a massive barrage of rockets into the northern parts of the Israeli-occupied territories.
Israeli media reported that 215 rockets were fired by Hezbollah from Wednesday morning to afternoon.
The firing came as an Israeli strike killed one of the senior commanders of Hezbollah on Tuesday.
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