A report analysis by CNN on the fatal Israeli airstrikes on a tents’ camp of displaced Palestinians near UNRWA barracks in Rafah late Sunday has found that US-made munitions were used to target the civilians in the “safe zone” area, on Wednesday May 29th, 2024.
At least 45 people were killed and hundreds were injured on Sunday’s attack on an overcrowded camp of tents in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Videos and images of beheading children and charred bodies have caused shockwaves across the world, sparking condemnation and uncovering clues as to the weaponry used in the attack, which was analysed by CNN teams.
Explosive weapons experts confirmed that remnants of the American-manufactured GBU-39 diameter bomb (SDB) were present in the footage of charred bodies.
The GBU-39 is a high-precision bomb “designed to attack strategically important point targets”, explosive weapons expert Chris Cobb-Smith told CNN.
“Using any munition, even of this size, will always incur risks in a densely populated area,” Cobb-Smith, a former British army artillery officer, added.
Another weapons expert, Trevor Ball, explained that the piece of ammunition used to attack the camp is a part of the US-made GBU-39.
“The warhead portion [of the munition] is distinct, and the guidance and wing section is extremely unique compared to other munitions,” Ball said.
“Guidance and wing sections of munitions are often the remnants left over even after a munition detonates. I saw the tail actuation section and instantly knew it was one of the SDB/GBU-39 variants,” said Ball, a former US army ordnance disposal team member.
He also explained that in Israel’s attack on the Rafah camp a variant that causes less collateral damage was used, rather than the Focused Lethality Munition (FLM), which results in larger explosions.
Serial numbers recovered at the scene were also matched to the bomb manufacturers in California, CNN said.
The Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said two munitions with small warheads carrying 17 kilos of explosives were used in the deadly strike.
His comments match the specifications of the GBU-39, which could be loaded with 17kg of explosive material.
In a press conference, Hagari described the weapons as the “smallest munitions that our [Israeli] jets could use”.
However, the US has denied knowing the manufacturer of the munitions used against the displaced Palestinians in Rafah.
“I do not know what type of munition was used in that air strike. I’d have to refer you to the Israelis to speak to that,” Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters when she was asked to comment on whether the bombs used in the massacre were US-made or not.
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