Israel Used US-made Bomb in Attack on Hezbollah Head, US Senator Says

 A man stands on the rubble of buildings near the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP)
A man stands on the rubble of buildings near the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP)
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Israel Used US-made Bomb in Attack on Hezbollah Head, US Senator Says

 A man stands on the rubble of buildings near the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP)
A man stands on the rubble of buildings near the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP)

The bomb that Israel used to kill Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week was an American-made guided weapon, a US 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 US 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.

The Israeli military said on Saturday it had eliminated Nasrallah in a strike on the group's central command headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs. The Israeli military has declined to comment on what weapons were used in the attack. The Pentagon was not immediately available for comment.

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



Lebanese Minister: Diplomatic Efforts for Ceasefire with Israel Underway

People check the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
People check the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Lebanese Minister: Diplomatic Efforts for Ceasefire with Israel Underway

People check the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
People check the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Lebanon's Information Minister Ziad Makary said during a cabinet session on Sunday that diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire with Israel were underway.
"It is certain that the Lebanese government wants a ceasefire, and everyone knows that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu went to New York based on the premise of a ceasefire, but the decision was made to assassinate Nasrallah," Makary said.
The death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was confirmed on Saturday, heightening tensions between Lebanon and Israel after months of conflict along their shared border, said Reuters.
"Diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire are ongoing. The Prime Minister is not falling short, but the matter is not that easy," he added.