What is Hellfire R9X missile, believed to have killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri

The Hellfire R9X, also called the "ninja bomb", has become the US munition of choice for killing leaders of extremist groups while avoiding civilian casualties.

The killing of al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri by the United States is raising several questions on the weapons capabilities possessed by the country. As per the AFP report, al-Zawahiri was killed by two missiles fired at his Kabul home -- but pictures showed no sign of an explosion, and US officials say no one else was harmed.

This shows that the US used the macabre Hellfire R9X, a warhead-less missile believed to be equipped with six razor-like blades, to kill him. These missiles do not explode but release knife-like blades hitting the targets with precision to avoid collateral damage to civilians.

The Hellfire R9X, also called the flying Ginsu, causes no damage to the area as there is no explosive payload that it carries. It has become the US munition of choice for killing leaders of extremist groups while avoiding civilian casualties.

The R9X first appeared in March 2017 when al-Qaeda senior leader Abu al-Khayr al-Masri was killed by a drone strike while travelling in a car in Syria. However, the Pentagon or CIA -- the two US agencies known to undertake targeted assassinations of extremist leaders -- have never publicly acknowledged it.

Later, it was deployed earlier when US forces targeted an al-Qaida-linked trainer in Syria in 2020. According to reports, the US used the same weapon in 2019 too.

I made a promise to the American people that we’d continue to conduct effective counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and beyond.We have done that. pic.twitter.com/441YZJARMX

What is the Hellfire R9X?