A special Hellfire missile – nicknamed “the flying Ginsu,” which uses blades instead of explosives to limit the damage – was deployed to strike ISIS-K targets in Afghanistan, officials told The Wall Street Journal.
Two targets were reported dead and another injured by the Pentagon, but they declined to give their names.
Reaper drones were deployed from the Persian Gulf and dropped the R9X missile as a retaliation for the suicide bombing at Kabul’s gate. This attack killed 13 U.S. military personnel and nearly 200 civilians in Afghanistan.
The R9X doesn’t explode. Instead, six large blades are released at the end of the strike to shred the target. This is done in an effort to minimize civilian casualties.
Rahamunullah (a neighbor at Nangarhar in eastern Afghanistan) contradicted the Pentagon’s report on the number of deaths. According to the Journal, three people were killed and four more were wounded.
Journal posted a video showing the extent of the strike. It included a small blast hole outside, a burned rickshaw vehicle and windows, as well as walls and walls that were smashed by shrapnel. The Journal also showed belongings scattered throughout the house.
The R9X missile used to be classified as a secret weapon, but the U.S. government has yet to publicly acknowledge its existence.
Reports have suggested that the R9X was used in strikes against other al-Qaida targets and military targets in Syria and Yemen over the last few years.
