RescueRanger
Meme Lord
Israel’s military operation began with heavy aerial bombardment of Gaza.
After five days of this attack, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) posted on social media [4] that it had dropped “about 6,000 bombs against Hamas targets” – 1,200 bombs a day. This amounted to 50 bombs dropped every hour, roughly one every minute of a 24-hour day – a huge rate. A separate source reported, on the same day, that these 6,000 bombs comprised 4,000 tonnes of munitions. [5]
A figure of 4,000 tonnes is consistent with the use of US-made Mk80-series bombs, of weight 227 to 907 kg, as well as some use of M117 ‘demolition’ bombs, of weight 372 kg. (Typically, about half the weight of these bombs is explosives.) Assuming that each target is struck by two bombs, these figures imply that 600 targets a day were hit each by an average total bomb weight of approximately 1,300 kg (1.3 tonnes). Also notable is that at least 5,000 Mk82 bombs had previously been supplied to Israel by the USA. [6]
The IAF also posted graphic images of the destruction caused by this bombardment. [7] They show whole neighbourhoods, including high rise structures completely flattened consistent with very heavy bombardment with the heavier Mk80-series bombs and M117.
Images from Israeli military post on X, 12 October [note 7]
By 2 November – 26 days into the bombardment – the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor (EHRM) estimated that Israel had dropped 25,000 tonnes of bombs on 12,000 targets. [8] Whilst the number of targets struck is consistent with IAF updates, the estimate for the tonnage of bombs would mean an average of more than 2 tonnes of bombs per target which is higher than estimates based on a range of other sources.
EHRM makes a comparison with the power of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb (equivalent to about 15,000 tonnes of TNT) and suggests that by this date Gaza had been bombarded with the equivalent of two nuclear weapons over an area of 360 square km - far smaller than that of Hiroshima at 900 square km in 1945. This source also refers to the documented use of banned cluster and white phosphorus munitions, with the latter capable of causing severe burns.
On 10 November, the IAF posted [9] that: “More than 15,000 targets … in the Gaza Strip have been attacked since the beginning of the fighting … Hundreds of targets are targeted by the infantry forces and by the intelligence wing in real time, and are attacked in a short time by the Air Force and the Navy.” This works out at about 430 targets a day, continuing the very high average bombing rate. The IAF also posted intermittent daily numbers of targets hit ranging from 250 to over 750 in a day over this period.
Even using the most conservative estimate of 500kg of bombs per target (2 x 250 kg weapons per target), this would amount to 7,500 tonnes of weaponry over this five-week period (approximately 3,750 tonnes of explosives). Using the 10 November IAF data combined with other sources – which seems more consistent – the total weight of bombs could be up to 20,000 tonnes.
Source:
Gaza: one of the most intense bombardments in history?
On 7 October, the Hamas militia attacked Israel. Since then, the Israeli military has bombarded Gaza in an effort to “obliterate” Hamas’ military infrastructure. [1] Dr Philip Webber and Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assess the scale of the Israeli military assault in comparison with other wars...
