In a remarkable defense of Israel’s military strategies in Gaza, urban warfare expert John Spencer wrote that Israel has “taken more measures to avoid needless civilian harm than virtually any other nation that’s fought an urban war in history.”
Writing in a Newsweek Op-Ed, Spencer, who served two tours in Iraq and consequently studied urban warfare, claims that Israel took more precautions to protect civilians than the US did in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Spencer explained that the IDF’s use of precision guided munitions (PGMs), including Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) has enabled it to target terrorists while avoiding harm to civilians adjacent to them. The Israelis even gather information on civilian presence via satellite imagery before striking targets, and employ other unique methods to prevent civilian casualties.
Additionally, the IDF provides warnings and calls on civilians to evacuate before activating its attack forces, even though this can alert enemy combatants in the same vicinity.
