A/HRC/3/2 page 32 been destroyed by precision bombing by aircraft and there was very limited collateral damage. The Commission was informed that a further attack took place nearby when the burial service for the victims of these attacks took place. However, this incident did not result in any casualties. 109. In Yatar, the Commission was briefed by the Mayor and a number of town officials, who explained that the town had been subjected to heavy bombardment in which around 850 homes were damaged and 230 completely destroyed. The inhabitants had been given warnings to leave but the exit routes were blocked as a result of IDF bombardments. There was no warning before the first attack on the town. On 12 July, an IDF helicopter was shot down by Hezbollah 1,000 meters outside the village. This led to intensified bombardment. A Lebanese Red Cross ambulance was attacked on 13 August. The Commission was informed that cluster bombs were dropped on and around the village. This took place only during the last three days of the conflict. The officials stated that no missiles had been fired from within the village, only from its outskirts. They stated that 80 per cent of the houses were destroyed in the last few days of the war, one 15 minutes before the ceasefire came into effect. 110. It is likely that the town of Yatar was used as a base for Hezbollah fighters. Officials explained that the outskirts had been used as launching sites for missiles, and that six fighters from the town had been killed. The shooting down of the IDF helicopter may have led to retribution in the form of cluster bombs used in the last three days of the conflict. The pattern and manner of attacks is not justifiable in terms of military necessity and was both indiscriminate and disproportionate. The use of cluster bombs suggests a degree of vindictiveness and an effort to punish the population as a whole, including those returning to town. As with so many other cases investigated by the Commission, the IDF actions were indiscriminate and disproportionate. The destruction of so many civilian houses is not justifiable in terms of military necessity. 111. The Commission visited the town of Aita Ech Chaab, which was the scene of intense fighting and bombardment throughout the conflict. The Commission was informed by the Mayor that on the first day of the conflict, the population was warned that they had 2 hours to leave. The shelling began 10 minutes later. Most of the civilian population of 12,000 left at this time but about 100 people remained. Around 800 houses were totally destroyed and 400 were partially destroyed. The centre of the town was the most severely damaged. 112. According to witness accounts, the town was defended by Hezbollah fighters who throughout the conflict withstood repeated IDF attempts to take control of the town. Each incursion was preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment and by air strikes. IDF attempted to demolish buildings with bulldozers, but this strategy failed. In the Commission’s view, the widespread destruction of residential buildings and other civilian property was disproportionate and would be difficult to justify on grounds of military necessity.87 113. Bent J’beil, a thriving town of some 30,000 people, was known as the “capital of resistance”. IDF operations against this town were similar in nature to those in Aita Ech Chaab. The Mayor informed the Commission that 800 houses had been destroyed and that “strange weapons” had been used on the town resulting in some children suffering strange spot marks on their skin.88 Two hospitals were directly targeted, as well as mosques. Six schools were completely destroyed, and two partially destroyed.