CNN’s report indicates that unguided bombs, also known as “dumb bombs,” constituted half of the munitions used by Israel in its airstrikes on Gaza, according to a U.S. intelligence report. The report highlights the collateral damage caused by these weapons in Gaza as Israeli forces combat Hamas.
Main Facts
According to an assessment from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), CNN reported that 40-45% of the munitions dropped by the Israeli Air Force were unguided, while the remainder were precision-guided.
The heavy use of unguided bombs is likely to provoke controversy, as these bombs can cause collateral damage, particularly in densely populated urban areas like Gaza.
Last week, the Financial Times reported that the Israeli Air Force used U.S.-made M117 bombs – a 750-pound unguided bomb dropped from the air – alongside more advanced laser-guided precision weapons.
Among the precision-guided munitions used by Israel is the GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition, weighing 2,000 pounds, which is four times the size of the bombs used by U.S.-led coalition forces in the fight against ISIS in Mosul, Iraq, according to the FT report.
The alleged use of these unguided bombs by the Israeli military comes despite reports advising the White House against using them for fear of large civilian casualties.
Israeli officials declined to comment on the types of munitions used in the Gaza campaign, according to CNN, although the Israeli military insisted it was trying to minimize civilian casualties.
The Big Number
18,600. This is the total number of Palestinians killed in the conflict so far, with another 50,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. This figure also includes Hamas fighters, although a recent rough count noted that two-thirds of the casualties were women or children. Approximately 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.
Key Background
The report comes amid growing public discord between Israeli leadership and the White House. The issue intensified on Tuesday when President Joe Biden delivered his strongest public criticism of Israel’s war tactics in Gaza. Biden warned that Israel “is starting to lose” global support due to its “indiscriminate bombing” campaign in Gaza. Referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as “the most hardline” in the country’s history, Biden stated that the approach must change. In addition to Biden’s remarks, the Israeli military’s campaign faced the broadest international criticism yet at the United Nations on Tuesday, where the General Assembly voted 153-10 in favor of a ceasefire in the conflict, with 23 countries abstaining. The United States and Israel were among the ten countries that voted against the resolution.
Further Reading
Half of the Israeli bombs dropped on Gaza are “dumb bombs,” according to a U.S. intelligence assessment (CNN)
Military Report: Israeli bombs raining down on Gaza (Financial Times)
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