Posts emerging on social media over the past few days show the aftermath of an unusual airstrike: A minivan carrying a suspected terrorist just 10 miles from the site of the recent raid on ISIS leader Abu Al Baghdadi’s compound, was hit by what appears to be a U.S. Hellfire missile… but instead of an explosion that would have certainly killed civilians in the area, the missile deployed swords capable of killing everyone within its strike radius. According to reports from Syria, two suspected terrorists inside the van died. There were no other casualties.
The international Coalition carried out an air strike near Atmeh, northwestern Idlib, apparently with the R9X Hellfire missile, which does not have an explosive charge. The areas is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. More on the missile: https://t.co/GSDlirp2D2 pic.twitter.com/h1HnVU3qVJ
— Elizabeth Tsurkov (@Elizrael) December 3, 2019
The weapon seemed to be specifically aimed at the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Local witness reports claimed that the bodies inside were “mashed.” This isn’t the first reported use of such a weapon. Reports had also emerged this past May of similar airstrikes killing other terrorists, including Al Qaeda’s then-number two leader, Abu Khayr Al Masri. The Wallstreet Journal quoted an unnamed defense official at the time as saying that the missile had thus far only seen operational use about a half dozen times.
The modified hellfire missile, dubbed the AGM-114 R9X, was reportedly designed for use by the CIA. The program started under the Obama administration: Its goal was to find a way to conduct highly accurate airstrikes that eliminate concerns about collateral damage, since, instead of blowing up a suspected terrorist, you can simply crush and slice him to death with a weapon covered in six swords and moving at around 1,000 miles per hour.
This fragment is reported to have been found at the site of what may have been an RX9 (Hellfire with frikken swords) strike.
If you looks closely, you can see what appear to be hinges, as well as being and twisted projections from those hinges.
H/T @obretix, who found this. pic.twitter.com/db7ZOE6S1x
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