Arming Apartheid: Europe's profitable partnership in Gaza’s tragedy

The Guardian, Disclose, and Follow the Money have uncovered that MBDA, Europe’s largest missile manufacturer, supplies key components for bombs used by the Israeli regime in airstrikes on Gaza. These strikes have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children who were sheltering in homes, schools, and refugee camps.

At the center of the investigation is the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, an American-made weapon manufactured by Boeing and widely used by Israel since October 2023.

Each bomb is fitted with Diamond Back wings—folding guidance fins manufactured by MBDA Inc., the U.S. branch of the European company. These wings guide the bombs to their targets and have been found at the scenes of some of the deadliest attacks in Gaza, where families were burned alive and entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.

These wing kits, which unfold after launch to steer the bombs, are produced at MBDA’s Alabama facility.

Despite reports that the UK has halted some arms exports to Israel due to concerns over breaches of international humanitarian law, MBDA parts continue to reach Israeli forces via the company’s U.S. operations, circumventing UK export controls.

Profit despite restrictions

Components manufactured by MBDA’s Alabama plant directly contribute to Boeing’s bomb production. Revenue from MBDA Inc. is funneled through MBDA UK in Hertfordshire (UK), and then to the company’s headquarters in France. In 2023, MBDA paid out nearly £350 million in dividends to its shareholders: BAE Systems (UK), Airbus (France), and Leonardo (Italy).

Although UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspended 29 export licenses in September 2024 over clear risks of illegal weapons use, those restrictions did not apply to components produced by MBDA’s U.S. subsidiary.

A spokesperson for MBDA confirmed the company’s ongoing contract with Boeing, claiming that MBDA complies with all relevant national and international arms trade laws in the countries where it operates.

Suffering in Gaza, especially among children

The investigation confirmed that Israel used GBU-39 bombs in 24 airstrikes that killed civilians, including children. Targets included schools, refugee camps, homes, and even a mosque during dawn prayers—locations known to shelter displaced Palestinian families.

One of the deadliest attacks occurred on May 26, 2024, when a GBU-39 bomb hit Fahmi Al-Jarjaoui School in Gaza City, killing 36 people, half of them children. A 5-year-old child who survived with severe burns is now suffering from psychological trauma.

His uncle told The Guardian: “When he walks, he says he’s afraid of stepping on corpses. Imagine a child watching his parents burn to death in front of him.”

Trevor Ball, a weapons expert from the Conflict Armament Research group, confirmed the presence of GBU-39 components at the site, including the distinct Diamond Back fins made by MBDA.

“The GBU-39 has been widely used to target schools and other places where civilians sought refuge,” he said.

These bombs are supplied through U.S. military aid programs, allowing Israel to purchase American-made weapons and draw from Pentagon stockpiles. Since October 2023, more than 4,800 GBU-39 bombs have been transferred to Israel—over 2,100 of them delivered in February 2024, shortly after UN estimates revealed that 70% of Gaza had been destroyed.

A bomb with devastating effects

Though the GBU-39 is promoted by the U.S. as a lower-cost alternative to heavier munitions, its use in densely populated areas has had catastrophic results. The 24 documented strikes between January and May 2024 killed over 500 civilians, including more than 100 children.

In one instance, on November 2, 2023, four GBU-39 bombs were dropped on the Al-Bureij refugee camp, collapsing several residential buildings and killing at least 19 members of a single family. The UN listed this incident as one of six where Israel may have violated international humanitarian law.

Another airstrike on May 26 hit the Kuwaiti Peace Camp in Rafah, sparking fires that killed 45 civilians and wounded 249 others.