A new US intelligence assessment has revealed that nearly half of the air-to-ground munitions that Israel has used in Gaza in its war with Hamas since October 7 have been imprecise, and are also known as ‘dumb bombs’, CNN reported.
The assessment was compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Sources at the office told CNN that about 40-45 per cent of the 29,000 air-to-ground munitions Israel has used have been unguided. The rest have been precision-guided munitions, the assessment added.
The use of unguided munitions, which are less precise, raises concerns about a greater threat to civilians, particularly in densely populated areas such as the Gaza Strip.
US President Joe Biden has characterised Israel’s actions as “indiscriminate bombing.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and spokespersons, meanwhile, have emphasised their commitment to international law and minimising harm to civilians used as human shields by Hamas.
However, experts argue that if Israel is indeed using unguided munitions at the reported rate, it contradicts claims of minimising civilian casualties, creating a significant risk of harm in the absence of precision targeting.
“I’m extremely surprised and concerned,” said Brian Castner, a former Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer, who now serves as Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Adviser on arms and military operations.
“It’s bad enough to be using the weapons when they are precisely hitting their targets. It is a massive civilian harm problem if they do not have that accuracy, and if you can’t even give a benefit of the doubt that the weapon is landing where the Israeli forces intended to,” Castner added.
Growing rift between Israel and the US
The timing of the assessment’s release is highly delicate amid strained relations between the US and Israel. The White House faced challenges in reconciling Joe Biden’s assertion of “indiscriminate bombing” by Israel with simultaneous claims that Israel is committed to protecting civilians.
Tensions have escalated over the Israeli military’s tactics in its conflict with Hamas, initiated in response to Hamas’s actions on October 7. Biden suggested on Tuesday (December 12) that Israel’s international support is diminishing as the Gaza death toll has surpassed 18,000 in the last two months, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in the region.
The US is also finding itself increasingly isolated on the global stage due to its reluctance to endorse calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.