US senator: Israel used US-made bomb in attack on Hezbollah leader

The bomb that Israel used to kill Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week was an American-made guided weapon, a U.S. senator said on Sunday.

Mark Kelly, chair of the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee, said Israel used a 2,000-lb (900-kg) Mark 84 series bomb, during an interview with NBC. His statement marks the first U.S. indication of what weapon had been used.

"We see more use of guided munitions, JDAMs, and we continue to provide those weapons," Kelly said, using an abbreviation that stands for Joint Direct Attack Munitions. "That 2,000-pound bomb that was used, that's a Mark 84 series bomb, to take out Nasrallah," he said.

JDAMs convert a standard unguided bomb using fins and a GPS guidance system into a guided weapon. The U.S. is Israel's longtime ally and biggest arms supplier.


Reuters