In their assault on Israel on October 7, it appears that Hamas fighters used weapons likely of North Korean origin, as indicated by a militant video and weapons seized by Israel. This is despite Pyongyang’s denials of supplying arms to the militant group.
South Korean officials, along with two experts knowledgeable about North Korean weaponry and an analysis conducted by the Associated Press on weapons captured by Israel on the battlefield, all point to the possibility of Hamas employing North Korea’s F-7 rocket-propelled grenade. This is a shoulder-fired weapon typically used by fighters against armored vehicles.
This evidence sheds light on the shadowy world of illicit arms shipments, a means by which North Korea, already under sanctions, funds its conventional and nuclear weapons programs.
Rocket-propelled grenade launchers are known for firing single warheads and their quick reloading capability, making them valuable weapons for guerrilla forces in engagements with heavy vehicles. The F-7 has been previously documented in regions like Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip, according to N.R. Jenzen-Jones, a weapons expert who serves as the director of the consultancy Armament Research Services.
Jenzen-Jones told the AP, ‘North Korea has long supported Palestinian militant groups, and North Korean arms have previously been documented among interdicted supplies.’
Hamas has released images of their fighters carrying a launcher with a rocket-propelled grenade featuring a distinctive red stripe on its warhead, with other design elements matching the F-7, as noted by Matt Schroeder, a senior researcher with Small Arms Survey, who authored a guide on North Korea’s light weapons.
Schroeder commented, ‘It is not surprising to find North Korean weapons in the possession of Hamas.’
The North Korean F-7 bears some resemblance to the more widely distributed Soviet-era RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade, with a few noticeable differences. Jenzen-Jones described the F-7 rocket-propelled grenade as ‘intended to offer a lethal effect against personnel,’ given its shape and payload, rather than against armored vehicles.
Weapons captured by the Israeli military, presented to journalists, also included that distinctive red stripe and other design elements matching the F-7.
During a background briefing with journalists, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff specifically identified the F-7 as one of the North Korean weapons believed to have been used by Hamas in the attack. The Israeli military declined to respond to AP’s inquiries regarding the origin and manufacturer of these rocket-propelled grenades, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas as the reason.
North Korea’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment from the AP. However, via its state-run KCNA news agency last week, Pyongyang dismissed claims of Hamas using its weapons as ‘a groundless and false rumor’ orchestrated by the United States.
Previously, Hamas propaganda videos and photos have shown its fighters with North Korea’s Bulsae guided anti-tank missile. Jenzen-Jones believes, based on imagery of the weapons used by Hamas fighters in the October 7 attack, that they may have also used North Korea’s Type 58 self-loading rifle, a variant of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Jenzen-Jones said, ‘Many North Korean weapons have been provided by Iran to militant groups, and this is believed to be the primary means by which Palestinian militants have come to possess North Korean weapons.’
Iran has also modeled some of its ballistic missiles after North Korean variants.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment. Iranian officials have long supported Hamas and praised their attacks on Israel.
In December 2009, Thai authorities grounded a North Korean cargo plane reportedly carrying 35 tons of conventional arms, including rockets and rocket-propelled grenades, during a refueling stop at a Bangkok airport. Thai officials at the time stated that these weapons were en route to Iran. Later, in 2012, the United States declared that the shipments intercepted by the Thais were intended for Hamas.
North Korea also faces Western suspicions of supplying ammunition, artillery shells, and rockets to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. The White House reported last week that North Korea had recently delivered over 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia.”
