Bunker busters cause major collateral damage: Israel could use this weapon to blow up the Hamas tunnels

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A bloody conflict is raging in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Since Saturday, rockets have been flying over both areas every day. More than 1,000 people have already been killed. But there is no end in sight. The Israeli army announced on Thursday that Hamas’s next tunnels will be targeted. A ground offensive is being prepared for this purpose.

Hamas uses a complex network of tunnels to smuggle weapons and goods and enter Israel unnoticed. The tunnels are also used as shelters and ammunition storage. The entrances and exits are often in civilian infrastructure such as schools or hospitals, Israel says.

Without ground troops, the tunnel network is difficult to destroy. It is difficult to locate the tunnels from a distance because they are several meters underground. However, a ground offensive also poses a major risk to Israel. Hamas knows better, knows how the tunnels run and is connected to the entire Gaza Strip via the underground labyrinth. As Yossi Mekelberg, an Israel expert at London think tank Chatham House, explained to Al Jazeera, several Israeli troops became trapped in tunnels and died in the 2014 war.

Powerful but terrible ammunition

Therefore, the military will likely use another weapon besides ground troops. The expert thinks that the army will deploy so-called bunker busters. According to Mekelberg, these are “pretty powerful, but terrible ammunition.”

The military already used bunker busters to damage the Hamas network during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict. According to Al Jazeera, Israel is once again in possession of the GBU-28 bombs, which will be manufactured domestically and in the US .

With a GBU-28 bomb, the reinforced nose of the missile digs up to ten meters into the ground. That’s where it explodes. By penetrating the foundations of buildings and detonating there, the bomb can cause them to collapse. The weapon is also capable of destroying bunkers or tunnels. Israel could therefore blow up Hamas tunnels without endangering ground troops.

There were fears of enormous collateral damage

As early as 2021, Israel requested the newer GBU-72 model from the US. There has been no agreement since then. GBU-72 bombs can penetrate 30 meters deep into the earth and create a shock wave that triggers a large-scale collapse of underground structures. If Israel gets it, it could wreak havoc.

If the bombs are used in densely populated areas, the collateral damage is enormous: a major threat to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip. According to the Geneva Conventions, bunker busters may only be used in “extreme circumstances for self-defense.” They are banned in areas with high civilian populations. The Gaza Strip is considered one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Experts still believe Israel will use the weapon. According to Mekelberg, the Israeli government will “do everything in its power.” Patrick Bury, a lecturer in warfare and counter-terrorism at the University of Bath, warns: “Israel has them and will use them. I don’t think they’re that concerned about collateral damage at this point.”

Source: Blick