Report finds Hamas used North Korean weapons in Israel assault

It is likely that Hamas used North Korean weapons during this month’s deadly bombardments of Israel, reports the Associated Press (AP), October 19.

The international news outlet published a report which concluded that there is a good chance that North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenades, a weapon typically used against armed vehicles, were used in the attack on Israel.

The Iran-backed Palestinian millitant group killed 1,400 on October 7 as they fired rockets into Israel’s southern flank from the under-siege Gaza , a territory under their hands since 2007.

Hamas also held hundreds of Israelis hostage and the country retaliated killing around 3,000 Palestinians according to Gaza’s health ministry.

This fresh piece of evidence shows the effectiveness of the Asian country’s powerful arms program despite the array of sanctions imposed on them.

North Korea’s defence spending amounts to around 16 percent of its total budget.

It is believed that F-7s have also been in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon according to a weapons expert.

Arms expert, N.R. Jenzen-Jones told the press that, “North Korea has long supported Palestinian militant groups, and North Korean arms have previously been documented amongst interdicted supplies,”.

Jenzen-Jones is a director at the Armament Research Services, a well-respected US-based consultancy that carries out professional research and analysis into a vast range of arms and munitions related topics.

He added, “Many North Korean weapons have been provided by Iran to militant groups, and this is believed to be the primary way by which militants have come to possess North Korean weapons,”.

Following Russian officials’ multiple meetings with Kim Jong Un, it is widely believed that Russia also possess North Korean weapons, used in their ongoing war with Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went on a two-day visit to the authoritarian state, beginning on October 18, as Russia-North Korea relations are at an all-time high .

Lavrov criticised what he believed to be a dangerous US military policy towards the Supreme Leader during his trip.

North Korea’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment to the AP report.