In a fierce conflict that has captivated the world's attention, Israel's airstrikes on Gaza have drawn significant comparisons to the U.S.-led coalition's targeted strikes against ISIS. However, an astonishing revelation has emerged regarding the sheer intensity of Israel's bombardment of the region. According to a former U.S. defense intelligence officer, the concentration of bombs dropped per square mile in Gaza during the initial month of this war has not been witnessed since the Vietnam War.
Using state-of-the-art satellite imagery analysis conducted by Synthetic, an A.I. company, it has been revealed that Israel unleashed hundreds of massive bombs upon Gaza. The evidence is irrefutable, with over 500 impact craters exceeding 40 feet in diameter, consistent with the deployment of 2,000-pound bombs. To put things into perspective, these bombs are four times heavier than the largest bombs used by the U.S. coalition in their battle against ISIS in Mosul, Iraq.
Defense and warfare experts have criticized the extensive use of such heavy munitions, attributing them to the alarming rise in Palestinian casualties. Of concern is not only the immediate impact of the craters but also the potential kill zone, which can extend up to a staggering 1,200 feet, equivalent to an area larger than 75 football fields.
International pressure has mounted on Israel, with Western allies expressing their unease over the disproportionate devastation in Gaza. President Biden himself recently accused Israel of indiscriminate bombing. Israeli officials, on the other hand, maintain that the use of heavy munitions is necessary to eliminate the Hamas faction, responsible for a brutal attack on Israeli soil that claimed more than 1,200 lives and took over 240 hostages on October 7.
Israel asserts that it is taking extraordinary precautions to minimize civilian casualties. However, the mounting death toll in Gaza paints a different picture. The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health reports that around 20,000 people have lost their lives since the conflict began on October 7, with women and children accounting for the majority of the casualties.
Disturbingly, recent intelligence reveals that up to 45% of the air-to-surface munitions employed by Israel were unguided 'dumb bombs,' posing a significant threat to civilian lives, particularly in densely populated areas like Gaza. Given the extensive number of bombs dropped, it is likely that some of the 2,000-pound bombs were of the unguided variety.
Israel's arsenal includes a substantial quantity of these large dumb bombs, specifically the Mark-84s. It has been disclosed that the U.S. has supplied Israel with more than 5,400 Mark-84s since the commencement of hostilities. The deployment of these 2,000-pound bombs has been observed predominantly in attacks on the outskirts of Gaza City, the focal point of Israel's military operation throughout October and November.
The consequences of such bombings are evident. Satellite images reveal numerous craters caused by these massive bombs, with one square kilometer near the Beach Camp neighborhood alone displaying a staggering 14 craters. Disturbingly, these bombs have placed seven schools within lethal proximity to the impact zones.
As the conflict rages on, the world watches with concern, urging a resolution that will bring an end to the loss of life and destruction that has plagued Gaza.
