A recent U.S. intelligence assessment has revealed that nearly half of the air-to-ground munitions used by Israel in its ongoing war in Gaza since Oct. 7 have been unguided, or “dumb bombs."
The assessment, compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, estimates that about 40-45% of the 29,000 air-to-ground munitions used by Israel have been unguided, with the remainder being precision-guided munitions, reported CNN.
Unguided munitions, due to their lack of precision, pose a significant threat to civilians, especially in densely populated areas like Gaza. The high rate of usage of these "dumb bombs" by Israel may be contributing to the escalating civilian death toll in the region.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden accused Israel of engaging in "indiscriminate bombing" in Gaza. When asked for comment on the assessment, IDF spokesperson Nir Dinar declined to address the type of munitions used.
Major Keren Hajioff, another Israeli spokesperson, said Wednesday that Israel, as a military committed to international law and a moral code of conduct, is devoting vast resources to minimize harm to civilians.
However, experts have expressed concern that the high rate of unguided munitions usage undermines Israel’s claim of trying to minimize civilian casualties.
Brian Castner, a former Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer and current senior crisis adviser on arms and military operations for Amnesty International, expressed surprise and concern over the findings.
Talking to CNN he highlighted the significant civilian harm by the lack of accuracy in the use of these weapons.
The report comes at a sensitive time in U.S.-Israeli relations, with a growing rift between the two countries over how the Israeli military is conducting its operations in Gaza.
President Biden has stated that Israel is losing international support as the death toll rises, and the U.S. is becoming increasingly isolated internationally for its refusal to back calls for a cease-fire in the conflict.
Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will begin a two-day trip to Israel Thursday to conduct "extremely serious conversations” with Israeli officials, according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
The discussions will focus on efforts to be more precise in military operations and reduce harm to civilians.
Marc Garlasco, a former United Nations military analyst and war crimes investigator, stated that the use of unguided munitions in a densely populated area like Gaza greatly increases the chance of missing targets and causing civilian harm.