The assertion that the Israel Defense Forces commit an automatic violation of international law by employing 2,000-pound munitions is contradicted by established military precedent and the laws of armed conflict. As noted by the Jewish Virtual Library, the utilization of 2,000-pound bombs does not inherently constitute a breach of the laws of war. Urban warfare expert John Spencer pointed out that militaries require large munitions to penetrate the ground when prosecuting targets located in underground bunkers or tunnels.
Western militaries, including the United States armed forces, have routinely deployed 2,000-pound bombs in diverse combat theaters. Historical records from the first Gulf War indicate that the United States dropped more than 16,000 bombs of the 2,000-pound class against Iraqi military targets.
Precedent in Coalition Urban Campaigns
John Spencer, an urban warfare expert at West Point, noted in an analysis on X that the United States dropped 5,460 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds and fourteen bombs weighing 5,000 pounds during the invasion phase of Iraq in 2003. Many of these munitions were directed at military targets situated inside major cities, including Baghdad, Nasiriyah, and Basra.
For example, American forces delivered four 2,000-pound bombs onto a single building in Baghdad based on time-sensitive intelligence indicating that senior Iraqi leadership, potentially including Saddam Hussein and his sons, were present at the location. Coalition commanders also deployed heavy bombs against enemy command centers situated throughout the conflict zone.
Tactical Necessity for Subterranean Targets
Deliveries included 5,086 precision GBU-31 munitions, 236 GBU-10 munitions, 98 EGBU-27 munitions, 23 GBU-24 munitions, 11 GBU-27 munitions, and six unguided MK-84 bombs. In addition, coalition forces employed even larger specialized munitions, including single GBU-28 and 13 GBU-37 penetrators weighing 5,000 pounds each.
Spencer explained that standard bunker-penetrating munitions generally penetrate between 30 and 100 feet of earth, or roughly 12 to 20 inches of reinforced concrete, depending on the dimensions of the round. Open-source technical data indicates that a 2,000-pound GBU-48 achieves approximately 50 feet of penetration, whereas a 5,000-pound GBU-72 achieves approximately 100 feet.