Amid a devastating military operation in Gaza, with a tragically high civilian death toll, the Biden administration has chosen to move forward with a $320 million arms deal for Israel.
The deal centres on the transfer of Spice Family Gliding Bomb Assemblies, a type of smart bomb known for its high accuracy, from a US subsidiary of an Israeli defence company to the Israeli government, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
What are spice bombs?
The Spice (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective) bombs are air-to-ground weapons developed by Rafael USA, the American branch of one of Israel’s most prominent arms manufacturers.
These bombs belong to a family of guided munitions designed to enhance the precision of unguided bombs, effectively transforming them into GPS-guided munitions.
Spice bombs use advanced guidance kits, integrating INS/GPS (Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System) guidance and electro-optical seekers for precise final targeting.
This technology significantly enhances their accuracy and targeting capabilities, making them more effective in striking intended objectives.
The same bombs used in the airstrike by the Indian Air Force on February 26, 2019, to target the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist camp in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as a response to the Pulwama attack.
The Pentagon has not disclosed the extent of military aid and equipment provided to Israel since the onset of the military operations on October 7.
The transfer coincides with growing international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, as the civilian death toll resulting from Israeli air strikes continues to mount.
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On Monday (Nov 6), White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby acknowledged that “many, many thousands of innocent people” have lost their lives in Gaza. He also noted that the US has observed indications in certain situations that Israel is making efforts to reduce civilian casualties in the region.
Senior US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have appealed to Israel to consider humanitarian pauses to facilitate the flow of aid into Gaza and the evacuation of civilians. However, the US has refrained from explicitly advocating for a ceasefire, citing concerns that it might benefit Hamas, reported CNN.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
(With inputs from agencies)
