Thermobaric vacuum bombs: Reports claim Israel ‘vaporised’ 2,842 Gazans using thermal weapons
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Gaza: Reports have now emerged claiming that Israel have been using thermobaric or thermal weapons in Gaza, leading to disappearances.
The country has been accused of using banned high-temperature weapons to “vaporise” Gazans, a new report has claimed.
The claims came to light during an Al-Jazeera investigation which stated that around 2,842 people were documented as having disappeared since October 2023 by Gaza’s Civil Defence teams.
Citing the investigation, The Week reported that the number of disappearances was determined using a “method of elimination” at the strike sites.
Quoting Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, the report said, “We enter a targeted home and cross-reference the known number of occupants with the bodies recovered.”
“If a family tells us there were five people inside, and we only recover three intact bodies, we treat the remaining two as ‘evaporated’ only after an exhaustive search yields nothing but biological traces—blood spray on walls or small fragments like scalps,” he added.
What are thermobaric or vacuum bombs?
According to The Week, thermobaric or thermal bombs, also known as vacuum or aerosol bombs, are munitions that use fuel-air explosive properties to generate extreme temperatures and powerful pressure waves.
Speaking to Al-Jazeera Vasily Fatigarov, a Russian military expert spoke about the intensity of the weapon, stating that they don't just kill, they obliterate matter.
The phenomenon results from a two-stage explosion. Firstly, the weapons release a cloud of fuel or fine particles into the air, followed by a detonation that generates a fireball and a vacuum effect, pulling in surrounding air and oxygen.
Blast temperatures can soar up to 3,500 degrees Celsius. “To extend the burning duration, powders of aluminium, magnesium, and titanium are incorporated into the chemical mixture. This increases the explosion’s temperature to between 2,500 and 3,000 degrees Celsius.” Fatigarov was quoted as saying by the Qatari media.
The intense heat is typically produced by a mixture of TNT and aluminium powder known as tritonal, a compound commonly used in US‑manufactured munitions such as the MK‑84.
A report by Al Jazeera cites Al-Tabin School in Gaza as an example, where, following an Israeli strike, families were unable to recover the bodies of those who had been at the site before the attack.
Dr. Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza to Al-Jazeera that, “The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius.”
“When a body is subjected to energy exceeding 3,000 degrees Celsius, along with extreme pressure and oxidation, bodily fluids boil instantly, tissues vaporize, and the remains turn to ash. It is a chemically inevitable process,” Dr. Munir al-Bursh added.
According to the report, the weapons are engineered to maximise blast effects over a wide area, with damage primarily caused by overpressure rather than shrapnel, as is typical in conventional explosives.
An investigation by the news channel has identified three different US‑made munitions used in Gaza that have been linked to disappearances: the MK‑84 ‘Hammer,’ a large unguided bomb filled with tritonal capable of generating heat up to 3,500 degree celsius, the BLU‑109 bunker buster, which penetrates before detonating using a PBXN‑109 explosive mix, and the GBU‑39, a precision bomb employing an AFX‑757 explosive designed to maintain the building structure while killing through a pressure wave that ruptures lungs and a thermal wave that can incinerate tissue.
Fragments of the GBU‑39 were allegedly recovered from the Al‑Tabin School attack, the report cited.
Is it illegal to use thermobaric weapons ?
The use of thermobaric weapons is regulated under international humanitarian law, which mandates that parties in a conflict avoid attacks on civilians.
Human rights organisations have raised concerns over their deployment in densely populated urban areas.
In 2022, the Ukrainian government similarly alleged that Russia had employed thermobaric weapons at the outset of the war.
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I enjoy being a finisher for my team: Ashutosh Sharma
Jaipur (PTI): Delhi Capitals batting all-rounder Ashutosh Sharma said he relishes his role as a finisher after his side snapped a three-match losing streak with a seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match here.
Ashutosh struck an unbeaten 25 off 15 balls, hitting four boundaries, as Delhi successfully chased down a daunting 226-run target with five balls to spare on Friday.
"I enjoy being a finisher for my team. The team has trusted me to bat in these situations and I enjoy playing in these moments. I always feel that as long as I am at the crease, I can win the game for my team," Ashutosh said at the post-match press conference.
Chasing a stiff total, Delhi were laid a solid foundation by KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka, who stitched together a 110-run opening partnership.
"In T20 cricket nowadays, a lot depends on the opening partnership and the powerplay. Our openers played really well and because of that we were in the game throughout and could take it till the end," Ashutosh said.
Delhi’s overseas pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Kyle Jamieson had earlier set the tone by removing Rajasthan's explosive openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi inside the first two overs.
"We wanted to get their opening partnership out early, as they have been doing well in previous matches. That was our plan and it worked, which was good for us."
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour admitted that poor execution with the ball cost his side the match.
"The bowlers couldn't execute their plans again today. 226 we felt was enough on this surface, they should have been able to defend that.
"When you are defending that kind of total it is important to have a good powerplay. We gave away lots of runs and didn't take any wicket," he said.
Despite the defeat, Rathour drew positives from the batting effort, particularly the response after the early loss of openers. Skipper Riyan Parag led from the front with a 90 off 50 balls, while Dhruv Jurel contributed 42.
"We were consistently getting good starts. Both our openers were doing well for us in every match. So, this was the first time that both got out early. So as a team, I think it was important how we came out of that situation and how we played.
"The way Riyan and Jurel batted at that time, the partnership they built, and the way Donovan finished it, it was really good to see," Rathour said.
