“Hamas Used North Korean Weapons,” Weapon Experts Say
Two weapon experts have linked North Korea to some of the weapons used by the Hamas to attack Israel on October 7. According to the pair, the Hamas fighters used Pyongyang-made F-7 rocket-powered grenade launchers.
Weapon expert at Armament Research Service, N.R Jenzen-Jones, says this is not the first time terror groups have used F-7 to launch attacks. It has been used in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. Jenzen-Jones reveals that the reason militant organizations choose F-7 rocket-powered grenade launchers is because they can be reloaded quickly.
Moreover, due to North Korea’s strong relations with terror groups in the Middle East, F-7 has become easily available for terrorists.
Schroeder Provides More Proof Supporting Hamas’ Use of North Korean Weapons
Another weapon expert, Matt Schroeder, who works for Small Arms Survey as a senior researcher, says he knew Hamas used North Korean weapons after seeing photos of its fighters with a rocket-powered grenade launcher matching the design of the F-7. He adds that his observation was proven right after the Israeli military seized Hamas’ weapons and showed them to journalists.
On Tuesday, South Korea’s Chief of Staff said the government had identified a North Korean weapon, presumably the F-7, that terrorists used to launch the attack on Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces has declined to provide answers to questions regarding the origin of the rocket-propelled grenade launchers it seized, arguing that the ongoing fight with Hamas makes it impossible to respond to such questions.
North Korea Denies Supplying Weapons to Hamas
Popular US-based media house Associated Press reports that its efforts to reach out to North Korean government officials for a comment regarding the weapons have failed. However, the North Korean government has denied claims that the Hamas fighters used weapons from Pyongyang. It accused the United States of orchestrating a “false and groundless” rumor.
While Jenzen-Jones believes North Korea supplied the weapons to Hamas, Schroeder, on the other hand, says the F-7 was provided by Iran, arguing that the Islamic State has been getting weapons from North Korea. This may not be far from the truth, considering that Iran supports Hamas and has praised the group’s attack on Israel.
