# Identify the weapon being used in this photograph

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 9, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561 "2009-01-09T18:21:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561/1 "2009-01-09T18:21:33Z")

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Here’s a [frighteningly beautiful photo](http://www.daylife.com/photo/0d2MgLJ2ur0nm) off the AP wire today of something exploding over Gaza. To me, it looks like a couple of giant squid monsters on a rampage. But what’s really going on here? It’s clearly an air burst of something. Flares? Cluster bombs? White phosphorus shells? What say ye, Teeming Millions?

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**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561/2 "2009-01-09T18:26:20Z")

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Looks like flares of some sort so ground troops can see? Or not.

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**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561/3 "2009-01-09T18:35:45Z")

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I would say that is the launch of two of the Kassam rockets they have been firing at Israel. You can make out the shape of the rocket above the fire/smoke trail.

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**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561/4 "2009-01-09T18:42:15Z")

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Looks like white phosphorus shells detonating. They are generally used as smoke rounds but WP has a pronounced incendiary effect as well.

Here’s an (old) photo showing a WP bomb explosion:

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS\_Alabama\_(BB-8)\_1921.jpg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Alabama_(BB-8)_1921.jpg)

If you do a Google image search on white phosphorus have a strong stomach as you will get a lot of images of burn victims.

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**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561/5 "2009-01-09T19:15:33Z")

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I also believe they are smoke shells, likely the M825:  
[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/m825.htm](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/m825.htm)

With photo:  
[http://op-for.com/2009/01/monday\_miscellany.html](http://op-for.com/2009/01/monday_miscellany.html)

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**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-weapon-being-used-in-this-photograph/480561/6 "2009-01-09T21:07:23Z")

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Thanks, **Henrichek** and **Valgard**. Looks like a particularly good angle on a pair of M825 explosion, and the extreme brightness of the second, lower explosion suggests a white phosphorus payload.