The term of the Lebanese parliament has been extended by 2 years due to the war in the Middle East

Beirut — Lebanon’s parliament on Monday extended its term by two years as the US-Israel war with Iran escalated its attacks on Lebanon.

76 MLAs voted in favour, 41 MLAs voted against and four abstained, the country’s state news agency said. Hezbollah’s 13-member bloc in parliament voted in favor of the extension.

On Monday, the Israeli military said it was targeting al-Qard al-Hasan, Hezbollah’s financial arm, while its ground forces in southern Lebanon launched “concentrated attacks” against what it called the group’s infrastructure.

The ongoing war with Israel, which began last week, has displaced more than half a million people and made voting difficult in much of the country. Parliament elections were scheduled in May.

Meanwhile, human rights group Human Rights Watch said in a report on Monday that the Israeli military “illegally” hit a village in southern Lebanon with shells containing white phosphorus, a controversial incendiary munition.

By geolocating and reviewing seven images, Human Rights Watch said Israel fired white phosphorus using artillery at residential areas in the southern Lebanese village of Yomor. It came hours after the Israeli military warned residents of the village and dozens of others in southern Lebanon to evacuate.

Human Rights Watch said it could not independently identify whether any residents were still in the area or if anyone had been harmed.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, it has maintained that it uses white phosphorus as a smokescreen and not to target civilians.

Human rights advocates say the use of white phosphorus is illegal under international law when the white-hot chemical substance is flown into populated areas. It can set buildings on fire and burn human flesh to the bone. Survivors are at risk for infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are minor.

“The illegal use of white phosphorus by the Israeli military on residential areas is extremely alarming and has dire consequences for civilians,” said Ramzi Kais, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said the munitions were used in Israel’s last war with Hezbollah on several occasions, a year ago, when civilians were still in southern Lebanon.