An unexploded bomb in Beirut triggers a US alert
Concerns that the technology of a smart American bomb used by the Israeli army to assassinate a Hezbollah official could reach Russia or China.
An Israeli newspaper reported that the United States sent an urgent request to the Lebanese government to ensure the transfer into its custody of an Israeli aerial bomb that failed to detonate in the southern suburbs of Beirut, out of fear that it could fall into the hands of Russia or China, which could thereby gain access to advanced military technology.
This request reflects the US administration’s concerns about sensitive technologies falling into the possession of powers that compete with it militarily and economically on the global stage. It also highlights fears that such technology could reach Iran or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to the Israeli daily Maariv, citing unnamed informed sources, the device in question is a GBU-39B smart glide bomb manufactured by the American company Boeing and used by the Israeli Air Force in the strike that targeted Haitham Ali Tabtabai, described as the chief of staff of Hezbollah, inside the party’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The newspaper added that, although launched as part of the assassination operation, the bomb did not explode for reasons still unknown and remained relatively intact at the attack site. This raised concerns in Washington that other actors, particularly Russia and China, might retrieve it and study its technology.
The report notes that the bomb contains an exceptionally effective warhead relative to its weight, alongside guidance systems and technological components that neither Moscow nor Beijing currently possess, making its recovery a priority for the United States, according to the same sources.
A few days earlier, Hezbollah had announced the death of Tabtabai in the same raid, along with four of its members. This development reflects a global arms race reminiscent of the Cold War era.
The world is currently witnessing a rapidly accelerating arms race involving the United States, Russia, and China, with each power seeking to consolidate its strategic position in an increasingly competitive international order. Washington is pushing to advance its nuclear, missile, and defense capabilities to preserve its superiority, while Moscow continues to modernize its nuclear arsenal and develop hypersonic missiles to compensate for its economic constraints. Meanwhile, China is expanding its military capabilities at an unprecedented pace, focusing on artificial intelligence, advanced missiles, and space technologies to strengthen its influence in Asia and beyond. This three-way competition extends beyond conventional and nuclear weapons into space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence, making the strategic landscape more complex and increasing the risks of unintended escalation.
Concerns also persist that the technology of this smart bomb might fall into the hands of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which seeks to modernize its military arsenal despite sanctions and international restrictions.
Since last October, the Israeli army has intensified its attacks on Lebanon and recently assassinated the senior Hezbollah commander Haitham Tabtabai, violating the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2024, while media leaks suggest plans for a new offensive against the country.
The ceasefire agreement ended an Israeli operation that began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths and around 17,000 injuries.
During this war, Israel occupied five Lebanese hills in the south. The agreement stipulated that it would withdraw within 60 days, but this commitment has not been honored. Israel also continues to occupy other Lebanese territories it has held for decades.
