How U.S. Bomb Kits Could Change Israel's Military Capabilities

The United States has reportedly planned to transfer Israel $320 million worth of bomb kits, which will give Israeli forces the ability to conduct more precise bombardments in Gaza.

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) plans to wipe out Hamas to demilitarize Gaza. On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. According to Israeli officials, 1,200 people in Israel were killed in Hamas' attack, the Associated Press reported, while over 11,200 Palestinians have been killed since Thursday, according to officials from the health ministry in Gaza, the AP reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country is "at war" and has cut off supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine into Gaza.

As politicians and activists call for a ceasefire in Gaza to protect civilian life, the U.S. plans to transfer precision-guided bomb equipment to Israel in a sale that was approved by Congress several months ago, prior to Hamas' surprise attack.

The transfer of the Spice Family Gliding Bomb Assemblies was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Newsweek could not independently confirm the transfer.

The Department of State (DOS) told Newsweek via email, "We are restricted from publicly confirming or commenting on licensed direct commercial sales cases."

"Without speaking to specific cases, Israel has a right and a responsibility to defend itself against a terrorist group whose leaders planned this horrific terrorist attack and have said publicly that it would like to repeat October 7 over and over again until Israel no longer exists," DOS said. "As we have also made clear, how Israel defends itself matters. We have to do our utmost to protect innocent civilians. And that means being targeted and careful in military operations and using systems such as precision guided munitions that can reduce risk of civilian harm."

SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact, and Cost Effective) weapons can turn unguided bombs into GPS-guided munitions, with firing ranges of roughly 37 to 62 miles. It can help to minimize civilian casualties, Times of Israel reports, which Israel said is a goal of its military as they target areas where Hamas operates in Gaza.

Newsweek reached out to IDF via email for comment.

Representative Omar Ilhan, a Minnesota Democrat, introduced a joint resolution of disapproval of the SPICE weapons transfer.

"Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right ethnonationalist government continue to commit war crimes in their siege of the Gaza Strip," Ilhan said in a press release. "From requests to minimize civilian casualties, avoid a ground invasion, avoid reoccupation of Gaza, and institute a meaningful humanitarian pause, Netanyahu continues to thumb his nose at U.S. policy and requests."

Ilhan continued: "The United States already provides the Israeli government with $3.8 billion of military aid a year, and holds enormous leverage over their actions. It is the responsibility of Congress to exercise oversight over weapons sales. That is why we must not allow weapons sales that will be used to directly violate U.S. and international law, human rights, and our own moral standing in the world."

Newsweek reached out to Ilhan via email and Netanyahu's office via online form for comment.

Congressional leaders were not formally notified by the State Department that the weapons transfer was moving forward until October 31, according to a formal notification reviewed by CNN.

Representatives Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delia Ramirez, and Rashida Tlaib cosponsored the bill.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Israel to agree to humanitarian pauses to allow aid into Gaza and the chance for civilians to leave the region. However, the White House has so far refused to call for a ceasefire as they fear it would just give Hamas a chance to launch another attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu rejected the idea of humanitarian pauses until Hamas releases over 200 hostages that they took during their surprise attack on October 7.

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