Internet users have shared a video of a spectacular explosion proving, according to them, the use by the Israeli army of a new, particularly deadly weapon in Gaza: a thermobaric bomb. This is in fact a diverted video of a conventional explosion.

Published on: 02/17/2026 - 6:28 p.m.

A spectacular shock wave followed by a gigantic mushroom cloud of black smoke. A video viewed more than 8 million times on X would reveal Israel's use of a particularly frightening weapon in Gaza. According to China Pulse, an influencer account with positions close to the Chinese government, recently pinned for having spread disinformation, the sequence would show the use of “thermobaric and pressure bombs” by the Israeli army in the Palestinian enclave.

“These bombs, which burn at a temperature of 3,500°C, are capable of killing thousands of people in seconds, without leaving a trace,” says China Pulse.

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A controlled explosion in a tunnel

This explosion video had already been the subject of a verification article by the Observers editorial team in November 2025. At the time, the video was wrongly presented by many Internet users as supposed to show the explosion of a mini-atomic bomb in Gaza.

As we determined by consulting several experts, the footage actually showed a controlled, ground explosion using a conventional explosive to destroy a tunnel dug by Hamas.

As Trevor Ball, weapons specialist for the Bellingcat investigation platform, points out on X, there is no indication that this video shows the explosion of a thermobaric bomb.

“A classic explosive device”

It indeed seems to be a "classic explosive device", confirms Gilles Denglos, an expert in war explosives approved by the French justice system, to the editorial staff of Observers. “Internet users are talking nonsense: a thermobaric bomb is made to explode above the ground and not on the ground.” However, what we see in the image is the explosion of “a fairly significant charge on the ground”, analyzes the expert.

The spectacular shock wave visible in the video, which made some Internet users believe in the use of a new weapon, is caused by a "completely conventional" explosion, also believes an arms expert who requested anonymity interviewed by the Observers editorial staff:

"The phenomenon observed is a 'Wilson cloud', that is to say a cloud of condensation observed when the air shock wave produced by an explosion passes through air laden with humidity. This phenomenon is observable independently of the nature of the explosive."

This same expert explains: "Thermobaric bombs are weapons whose lethality comes from the combined effect of thermal and overpressure effects [the heat produced by the bomb and its shock wave, Editor's note], which differentiates them, for example, from munitions whose lethality relies on the projection of metal fragments, such as conventional explosive shells, defensive grenades or burst charges."

Al-Jazeera investigation into Israeli bombs

These accusations against Israel come as on February 10, Al-Jazeera published an investigation claiming that the Israeli armed forces had used “thermal” and “thermobaric” weapons in Gaza. The striking power of the Israeli bombs would have been such that it would have caused "the evaporation of the bodies of thousands of Palestinians". Questioned by the Qatari media, the Gaza Civil Defense, a first aid organization operating under the authority of Hamas, argues that the bodies of 2,842 Palestinians were thus "evaporated" by the Israeli bombings.

The alleged use of thermobaric bombs in Gaza by the Israeli army is, however, debated.

According to the verification media Snopes, which examined the Al-Jazeera investigation, it is not possible, based on the information available at this stage, to independently confirm the use of thermobaric bombs in Gaza.

As Michael Shurkin, program director at 14 North Strategies, an American consulting company, explains to the editorial staff of Observers, we do not know the model of thermobaric weapons that the Israeli armed forces would have at their disposal for their bombing operations. "There is no proof that the Israeli army used thermobaric weapons in Gaza. Maybe yes, maybe no. Al-Jazeera does not provide real proof," judges this expert.

In its investigation, Al-Jazeera mentions several types of bombs used by the Israeli army: 900-kilogram MK-84 bombs, BLU-109 bombs, specialized in destroying bunkers, and GBU-39 glide bombs. None of these models – according to the versions officially supplied by the Israeli army – is equipped with thermobaric explosives, emphasizes Trevor Ball on X.

“The aviation bombs mentioned by the Al-Jazeera article are all loaded with aluminized explosives, that is to say compositions in which the addition of aluminum plays a role in increasing the blast effect by raising the temperature of the combustion gases formed. The addition of aluminum is, however, extremely widespread in loading explosives, in artillery, in aviation bombs or in naval munitions,” comments the expert in aforementioned armaments.

By their power, these bombs were able to effectively disintegrate bodies. But this is a “common effect” of aviation bombs, not particularly specific to thermobaric weapons, points out the same specialist. The use of MK-84 bombs by the Israeli army during "deliberate" or "indiscriminate" strikes on residential areas and civilian infrastructure in Gaza has, however, been denounced as contrary to international law by Amnesty International.

According to a report released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and accepted by the Israeli army, 72,045 Palestinians died in Gaza as of January 29.

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