Israeli weapon in photos of Beirut strike appears to be powerful SPICE bomb
Associated Press images captured the exact moment an Israeli bomb hit a building in Beirut, destroying it
The air strike came 40 minutes after Israel warned people to evacuate two buildings in the area that it said were located near Hezbollah warehouses and assets. The site was not far from where a spokesperson for the militant group had just briefed journalists.
It was a rare glimpse into the use of one of the most powerful bombs in Israel’s arsenal.
What kind of weapon was it?
An examination by independent arms researchers suggests the weapon was a guided bomb, also known as a smart bomb, launched from an Israeli jet.
The tail fin and nose sections indicate this was a 2,000-pound warhead fitted with an Israeli-made guidance kit known as SPICE, according to Richard Weir, a senior conflict, crisis and arms researcher at Human Rights Watch.
SPICE – Smart, Precise-Impact and Cost-Effective – guidance systems are made by Israel’s government-owned Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. They are attached to a standard unguided bomb to direct the weapon to its target.
Minutes before the strike brought down the building, there were two smaller strikes on it, in what Israel’s military often refers to as a “a knock on the roof” warning strike, according to AP journalists at the scene.
