JERUSALEM, Oct 19: The Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Thursday that Hezbollah fired cluster munitions into northern Israel during this summer’s 34-day conflict with the Jewish state.

“This is the first time that Hezbollah’s use of these controversial weapons has been confirmed,” the group said in a press release.

“We are disturbed to discover that not only Israel but also Hezbollah used cluster munitions in their recent conflict,” the release quoted Steve Goose, director of HRW’s arms division, as saying.

“Use of cluster munitions is never justified in civilian-populated areas because they are inaccurate and unreliable,” HRW added.

There was no immediate reaction from the militant group.

Israel has been roundly criticised for its use of cluster bombs during the invasion of Lebanon, which began on July 12 and ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire on Aug 14.

According to Israel’s liberal Haaretz newspaper, the Jewish state’s military dropped more than 1.2 million cluster bomblets into Lebanon during the month-long conflict.—AFP