Investigating a drone assassination of militia leaders in Baghdad
Newsy
The missile used in the recent attack against two pro-Iranian paramilitary leaders may have used blades instead of explosives to kill its targets.
The U.S. targeting of two pro-Iranian paramilitary leaders in Baghdad Wednesday is a significant escalation in the American response to the death of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan in January.
Notably, the missile used in the attack may have been a rarely used and secretive variant that utilizes blades instead of explosives to kill its target.
Sometimes called the "Flying Ginsu," the missile's full name is the AGM-114R9X Hellfire, or just the R9X. It's a version of the U.S.'s widely-used Hellfire missile that uses six blades instead of explosives to minimize collateral damage.
Images shared on social media showing the munition remnants appear to match up with what we've seen in past strikes in which the weapon was used: a circular section with protruding metal struts that would be the missile's blades. Previous strikes in Syria bore the same hallmarks.
Video from social media shows the targeted vehicle engulfed in flames — which typically isn't a sign of the R9X being used, as it doesn't have explosives in it.
