The US military reportedly used two sophisticated Hellfire R9X missiles to kill al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri as he stood on the balcony of his home in Afghanistan last weekend.
Here’s a closer look at this “secret weapon”, the use of which was never confirmed by either the Pentagon or the CIA.
What is Hellfire R9X Missile?
The R9X is a modernized version of the traditional Hellfire missile, which was originally designed as an anti-tank weapon in the 1980s. This high-precision weapon was modified numerous times, especially after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, in order to destroy high-value targets.
Also known as a "ninja bomb," the R9X missile became the US weapon of choice for killing leaders of so-called extremist groups while avoiding civilian casualties.
The missile, which is typically fired from a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a combat helicopter, has no explosive payload, but features six long rotating blades, which fly the weapon at a high speed and crush and slice the target.
The Hellfire R9X is a little more than five feet (1.5 m) long and weighs just over 100 pounds (45 kg); it doesn't leave behind any signature like burned-out shells, according to media reports.
Why the Name Hellfire?
US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin developed the missile under the name ‘Heliborne, Laser, Fire, and Forget Missile’, something that evolved into Hellfire, as it is now widely known.
What Prompted Development of Hellfire R9X Missile?
Media reports suggest that the reason behind the development of the R9X missile was purportedly the Obama administration’s effort to find ways to minimize collateral damage and prevent the loss of innocent life.
AP has in turn cited an unnamed US former official as saying that the missile is “a very accurate weapon that strikes in a very small area”.
How Was Al-Zawahiri Killed?
US media outlets have likewise quoted an unnamed US government official who claimed that two Hellfire missiles were fired by a drone at the balcony of the building where al-Zawahiri was living in the Afghan capital Kabul.
Online images of the building showed significant damage to the balcony, but the rest of the house is seen standing and not badly damaged, something that seems to confirm the use of a Hellfire R9X.
Where Have R9X Been Used Before?
Before al-Zawahiri was killed by the reported R9X missile late last week, the weapon was purportedly used in a series of other special operations, including in the Yemeni capital Sana in January 2019.
At the time, the US military ostensibly used the missile to launch a precision strike on Jamal al-Badawi, who was accused of being behind a deadly attack on the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000.
Apart from killing al-Badawi, the Pentagon purportedly used the R9X missile to destroy Ahmad Hasan Abu Khayr al-Masri, who was known as al-Zawahiri’s general deputy, in the Syrian province of Idlib in late February 2017.
*a terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other countries