USA (Washington Insider Magazine)— According to Reports from The New York Times and CNN, bombs dropped on a displaced persons camp in Rafah, Gaza, by Israeli occupation forces, which claimed the lives of 45 people, were manufactured in the United States. Experts and media analyses have identified the munitions as GBU-39 bombs, designed and produced in the U.S.
Key Evidence from the Attack Site
The New York Times reported that remains of the ammunition found at the site the day after the attack were from a GBU-39 bomb. CNN corroborated this, citing a video shared on social media that experts geolocated, showing the tail of a GBU-39 small-diameter bomb (SDB), which confirmed its American origin.
Trevor Ball, a former U.S. Army explosive ordnance disposal technician, pointed out that the tail actuation system found at the site was a crucial detail. This system controls the fins that guide the bomb to its target.
Official Responses and Statements
White House spokesperson John Kirby declined to confirm the use of a U.S.-made GBU-39 bomb by Israel, stating that only the Israeli Army could provide definitive details about its operations. Kirby also mentioned that the U.S. administration has not changed its policy in light of the attack and emphasized the need for an investigation by Israeli authorities.
“We’re going to be very interested in what they find in that investigation,” Kirby stated. He reiterated that the Biden administration does not currently support a large ground operation in Rafah.
Identification of Ammunition
The ammunition fragments filmed by Palestinian journalist Alam Sadeq bore numbers beginning with 81873, identified as the unique code for Woodward, a Colorado-based aerospace manufacturer. Woodward supplies parts for bombs, including the GBU-39, according to The New York Times.
Nature of the GBU-39 Bomb
According to Pagina12, Chris Cobb-Smith, an explosive weapons expert, described the GBU-39 as a high-precision munition designed to target strategically important points with minimal collateral damage. However, he warned that using any munition in densely populated areas carries significant risks.
Incident and Aftermath
The Israeli airstrike targeted a camp for displaced persons in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza severely affected by ongoing conflict. The attack resulted in the deaths of 45 individuals, predominantly civilians, who were in a designated “safe zone” in the Tal al Sultan neighborhood.
After learning of the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the death of civilians in Rafah was a “tragic accident” and that an investigation would be launched into the matter. For its part, the Pentagon defended that the Israeli Defense Forces operation in Rafah had a limited scope and, although it described the attack on the displaced persons camp as “horrible”, it asked to wait for the results of the Israeli investigation.
International Reactions
The United States had threatened to cease weapons supplies to Israel if attacks on Rafah continued, a threat that was not enacted. President Joe Biden continues his support for Israel as a key ally.
Hamas criticized the U.S. government for allegedly ignoring the massacres in Rafah and accused it of involvement in the deaths of civilians, citing preliminary investigations indicating the use of American-made bombs.