US-made weapons ‘likely’ used in Friday attack: Report
US newspaper The Washington Post has reported that Israel “likely” used US-made weapons in its attack on Beirut on Friday, which flattened at least six residential buildings in pursuit of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
According to analysts who reviewed a video shared by the Israeli army of the attack, the newspaper found that the fighter jets were carrying 2,000-pound (907kg) class bombs – some of which were BLU-109s with JDAM guidance kits, both US-made.
The report added that in photos released by the army of the attack, fighter jets are seen fitted with at least three to six BLU-109s each. A former explosive ordnance disposal technician for the United States Army told the Post that the weapons are designed to go through up to two metres (six feet) of reinforced concrete.
Israel used US-made bomb in attack on Hezbollah chief, US senator says
The bomb that Israel used to kill Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week was an American-made guided weapon, a US senator has said.
During an interview with NBC News, Mark Kelly, chair of the US Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee, said Israel used a 900kg (2,000 pound) Mark-84 series bomb. His statement marks the first US indication of what weapon had been used in the attack.
“We see more use of guided munitions, JDAMs, and we continue to provide those weapons,” Kelly said, using an abbreviation for Joint Direct Attack Munitions. “That 2,000-pound bomb that was used, that’s a Mark 84 series bomb, to take out Nasrallah,” he said.
Using fins and a GPS guidance system, JDAMs convert a standard unguided bomb into a guided weapon.
The Israeli military has declined to comment on what weapons were used in the attack. The US Pentagon was not immediately available for comment.
And the White house still claims they didn't know about the attack...
