Reports: Israel’s Rafah strike used US bombs designed to reduce civilian casualties

By Lazar Berman

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29 May 2024, 2:04 pm

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Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

A screenshot of video filmed by a volunteer of the Palestine Red Crescent Society showing a fire that broke out in a camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza's Rafah, following an Israeli strike on what the IDF said was a compound used by Hamas in the area, May 26, 2024. (PRCS/AFP)

The bombs Israel used in Sunday’s strike near Rafah that killed dozens of Palestinians were GBU-39s, a US-manufactured munition, according to investigations by CNN and by The New York Times.

Both outlets analyze debris from the bomb visible on local footage, including identification numbers and the tail actuation system, to identify the munitions.

According to the NYT report, American officials have urged Israel to use GBU-39s, as they can help reduce civilian casualties.

The IDF said yesterday that it used two bombs with 17 kg of explosives, the smallest its jets have. That figure matches the specifications of the GBU-39.