SEOUL: In recent developments, North Korea has firmly denied allegations that its weaponry was used by Hamas in the recent attack against Israel. The denial, issued on Friday, comes in response to media reports suggesting that North Korean weapons, including possible F-7 rocket-propelled grenades, were utilized by Hamas in the conflict. The North Korean government contended that these claims were an attempt by the United States to deflect blame for the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Military experts had previously pointed to images from the conflict, indicating that Hamas might have utilized North Korean weapons, specifically highlighting potential F-7 rocket-propelled grenades. Bruce Bechtol, a professor at Angelo State University in Texas with expertise in North Korea’s arms sales, mentioned that Hamas had been reportedly using the F-7 for years. He speculated that the weapons could have been new supplies or from past shipments dating back to 2009, likely reaching Hamas indirectly through Iran or Syria.
The North Korean state news agency, KCNA, labelled the accusations of their weapons being used in the attacks as “groundless and false rumours.” They alleged that the intent behind such claims was to shift the blame for the Middle East crisis from the United States to a third country, thereby evading international criticism focused on the U.S.’s foreign policy.
European researchers Joost Oliemans and Stijn Mitzer pointed out distinguishing features of the F-7 rocket-propelled grenades, notably a red band around the warhead. Images shared by the Israeli Defence Force and other social media accounts displayed these characteristic red bands, further fueling speculation about the origin of the weaponry.
Read Also: Blinken Seeks Arab Pressure on Hamas as Israel Prepares to March into Gaza
The F-7, along with a limited number of North Korean Bulsae-2 anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), was previously observed in use by Hamas during clashes in 2021, as reported by the researchers.
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, stated on Thursday that he could not confirm the reports regarding the source of the rockets used by Hamas. He affirmed that the ongoing Israel-Hamas crisis would not impact the United States’ security strategy, including its approach to the Korean peninsula.
Adding to the discourse, North Korea’s state media had earlier this week placed blame on Israel for the bloodshed in Gaza, highlighting the geopolitical complexity of the region. The Israel-Palestinian conflict, which saw a surprise attack by Hamas, marked one of the deadliest clashes by Palestinians in Israeli history.
