Worried about weapons secrets falling into Chinese and Russian hands: US begins retrieving an unexploded bomb from Lebanon

According to Israeli media, the United States has urgently requested the Lebanese government to return a GBU-39 bomb used by Israel in Beirut that was not detonated.

The Jerusalem Post reported that this bomb was used by the Israeli military to assassinate Hezbollah military commander Haytham Ali Tabataba'i a few days ago, but it was not detonated.

The report cited sources in Lebanon as saying that U.S. officials are concerned that this bomb might fall into the hands of Russia or China.

Concerns over the potential leak of GBU-39 bomb secrets between the U.S. and Israel

American Concerns

The Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted anonymous sources as reporting that the bomb used in this attack was the GBU-39B smart glide bomb manufactured by Boeing, which the Israeli Air Force used in an attack on Hezbollah military commander Haytham Ali Tabataba'i. This attack took place at a Hezbollah stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

According to Anadolu Agency, this Israeli media also pointed out that although the bomb was part of the assassination operation, it failed to explode for unknown reasons. It remained largely intact at the site of the attack, thus raising concerns in Washington that other powers - especially Russia and China - might obtain the bomb and study its technology.

The report cited anonymous sources as revealing that the warhead of this bomb had an unusually powerful effect relative to its weight, and it also featured guidance systems and technologies that China and Russia currently do not possess. Therefore, recovering this bomb became a top priority for the United States.

According to the same source, Hezbollah had announced several days ago that Tabataba'i had died in this air strike, along with four other Lebanese Hezbollah members.

Lebanon and the United States have not yet commented on the reports from the two Israeli media outlets.

Since October this year, the Israeli military has intensified attacks on Lebanon, and recently assassinated Hezbollah senior commander Haytham Tabataba'i. This action violated the ceasefire agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel in November 2024, and previously media leaks indicated that Israel planned to launch a new round of attacks on Lebanon.

This ceasefire halted the Israeli attacks on Lebanon - an offensive that began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths and nearly 17,000 injuries.

Information about the GBU-39

The GBU-39 is an air-to-ground precision-guided bomb developed by Boeing in the late 1990s and introduced in the early 21st century. It is called a "safe bomb" because according to the manufacturer, it only destroys the target from the inside without causing damage to surrounding areas.

This small and efficient bomb was designed as part of a modern military system - a system that allows aircraft to carry more numbers of smart bombs.

It is a bomb intended to penetrate and destroy fortifications and camps from the inside, such as warehouses, concrete bunkers, or specific targets or high-value targets within densely populated areas.

The GBU-39 bomb resembles a small missile, weighing about 113 kilograms, and is approximately 1.8 meters long.

Its features include the ability to hit targets with high precision and minimize collateral damage. This weapon is designed to penetrate fortifications, and the manufacturer states that its design purpose is to reduce losses in densely populated areas.

Sources: Israeli media + Al Jazeera + Anadolu Agency

Original: toutiao.com/article/1850355825603859/

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