Nearly half of the air-to-ground bombs Israel dropped in Gaza, which killed thousands of civilians including women and children, were basic “dumb bombs” without precise guidance, according to a recent US intelligence report.
More than 18,800 people have been killed and almost 51,000 wounded in Gaza over the past two months, according to the Gaza health ministry. These figures include both civilians and Hamas combatants. Notably, recent reports indicate that two-thirds of those killed in this two-month-long war in Gaza are women or children.
The Israel Defense Forces have fired more than 29,000 air-to-ground munitions into the Palestinian enclave since October 7, and only 55 to 60% of them have been precision-guided, according to an assessment from the United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence. That means Israel dropped more than 13,000 so-called “dumb” bombs in Gaza, the CNN report suggests.
What are “unguided” weapons?
Unguided weapons do not have internal guidance systems or kits that improve their aim. These weapons typically follow the trajectory of their deployment. Despite the intended target set, these weapons can cause extensive damage beyond the designated area due to their uncontrolled trajectory. Like unguided munitions, these weapons are often less accurate and pose a higher risk to civilians. The extensive use of these unguided bombs by Israel contributed to the increasing civilian death toll.
Marc Garlasco, a former United Nations military analyst and war crimes investigator, said the use of unguided weapons in a densely populated area like Gaza greatly increases the chance of missing targets and causing civilian harm.
Even some of the precision weapons can do serious damage beyond the intended target due to their large size. Some precision bombs are as heavy as 2,000 pounds.
Despite the shocking number, Israel hasn’t concealed its use of these controversial weapons, which can cause widespread damage beyond their intended targets.
Israel, US tensions
The report followed the increasing tensions between the Israeli leadership and the White House. The situation reached a critical point on December 12 after President Joe Biden publicly voiced his strongest criticism of Israel’s tactics in the conflict in Gaza.
During a private campaign fundraiser in Washington D.C. on December 12, Biden directly criticized the Israeli government’s post-war vision, pinpointing Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza as the primary cause for the decline in global support. He urged Netanyahu to actively seek a long-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
18,800 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes
Gaza’s Ministry of Health that at least 179 people had been killed and 303 wounded in Israeli attacks over the past day, bringing the death toll in Gaza since the war began on October 7 to 18,787 with 50,897 injured.
- More than 18,800 Palestinians have been killed, with 70% of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials.
- The vast majority of 2.2 million Palestinians have been displaced due to Israel’s war.
- Half of the population faces starvation, disease, and winter chill amid an unfolding humanitarian crisis.