Nearly half of the air-to-ground munitions that Israel has used in Gaza in its war with Hamas since October 7 have been unguided, otherwise known as “dumb bombs,” according to a new US intelligence assessment.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    A US official told CNN that the US believes that the Israeli military is using the dumb bombs in conjunction with a tactic called “dive bombing,” or dropping a bomb while diving steeply in a fighter jet, which the official said makes the bombs more precise because it gets it closer to its target. The official said the US believes that an unguided munition dropped via dive-bombing is similarly precise to a guided munition.

      • Bluerendar@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        No, no, what you should read is that their use of guided ammo is no more accurate than dive-bombing. That is, either the “guided” munitions aren’t that accurate, or the targeting data used is of that quality.

        • DoomBot5@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          At what point do you care if you hit exactly where you aimed at or 1 meter to the left? The bomb explodes on the target either way.

      • Ropianos@feddit.de
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        11 months ago

        Why do you think that? Dive bombing hits generally within a few meters, even during WW2 where it was used against tanks. Why would a guided rocket be that much better? Where would it get the target data from if it doesn’t have a human to guide it?

        Obviously, there exist guided munitions with higher accuracy (<1m) but that’s not the majority.

        • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          When you gotta hit dozens of metres underground I think you’ll need more than a few metres accuracy error.

        • Aceticon@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          It says “US official says” that, it doesn’t say it is indeed so (you know, as proven scientifically or by analysis by an independent source).

          An individual belonging to a government that supports another government saying something that spins in a positive way the actions of the later government isn’t in even the same universe as the standard of proof for something to be widely accepted as true.

          Given the US’ continued support of Israel in this, militarilly and diplomatically, statements of US officials justifying Israeli military choices aren’t at all trustworthy, quite the contrary.

          • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            I personally have never flown a fighter in combat, only seen it. But, a nefarious conspiracy theory doesn’t make too much sense.

            • Aceticon@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              If you think politicians lying to make what they defend sound good is a “conspiracy theory”, then you’re just the right person to purchase this piece of really cheap river-crossing realestate I have for sale in New York!

              • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                I don’t think a DoD official is going to lie for anyone, He’ll just stay silent.

          • DoomBot5@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            I choose to belive the experienced officials over the dumb lemmy users making baseless accusations against them.

  • filister@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    But but but what about " we do our utmost to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza"?

    Or we stopped pretending that this is the case?

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Major Keren Hajioff, an Israeli spokesperson, said on Wednesday that “as a military committed to international law and a moral code of conduct, we are devoting vast resources to minimizing harm to the civilians that Hamas has forced into the role of human shields.

    “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 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 that the weapon is actually landing where the Israeli forces intended to,” Castner added.

    The type of munitions used in each strike is determined according to the characteristics of the target, the operational need, and the effort to mitigate harm to civilians, which the terrorist organization uses as a human shields,” Dinar said.

    The US has also provided Israel with unguided munitions, including 5,000 Mk82 bombs, a source familiar with recent weapons transfers told CNN, confirming a Wall Street Journal report.

    The US has provided approximately 3,000 JDAMS to Israel since October 7, CNN previously reported, and told Congress last month that it planned to transfer $320 million worth of the Spice Family kits.


    The original article contains 1,084 words, the summary contains 202 words. Saved 81%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    When dropping 2000 pound explosives on refugee camps to “destroy a tunnel 70 metres underground” I’m sure a metre or 5 aiming error won’t matter right guys?