US Eliminates Iraqi Pro-Iran Group Leader with 'Ninja Missile'... "Retaliation Successful"

Six Blades Protrude to Mangle Targets
Primarily Used in US Military Retaliation Operations

[Image source=US Navy]

The United States recently made headlines for eliminating a pro-Iran militia leader, who was responsible for the deaths of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq, using the so-called "ninja missile," the Hellfire R9X missile. Unlike conventional missiles that explode upon impact, the ninja missile deploys blades from its body to neutralize the target, minimizing damage to surrounding buildings and civilians. This advantage has led to an increasing use of the weapon.

U.S. Successfully Eliminates Kata'ib Hezbollah Commander with Ninja Missile

The Hellfire missile releases six blades hidden in its body seconds before hitting the target, which spin and eliminate the target.

On the 14th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing a U.S. Department of Defense official, that the U.S. military used the Hellfire R9X missile during an airstrike on the commander of the pro-Iran militia group "Kata'ib Hezbollah" in Iraq on the 7th.

Kata'ib Hezbollah is an armed group affiliated with the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq," a coalition responsible for a recent drone attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers. The commander eliminated in this attack was known to have directly planned and participated in the assault on the U.S. base.

The Hellfire R9X missile used in this operation is equipped with six blades instead of explosives in its warhead. Upon impact, the blades, which are folded inside the missile body, extend outward and slash the target, causing lethal damage without an explosion. This unique characteristic earned it the nickname "ninja missile."

The U.S. military has significantly increased the use of this ninja missile in recent operations targeting individuals and assassination missions. It was also used in 2017 to eliminate Abu Al-Khair Al-Masri, the son-in-law of Osama bin Laden. The missile’s ability to eliminate targets without collateral damage in densely populated civilian areas and its difficulty for enemies to anticipate make it highly advantageous.

From Anti-Tank Missile to Agent Assassination Weapon... Damage Radius Limited to 50cm

The airstrike site in 2017 targeting Abu Al-Khair Al-Masri, Osama bin Laden's son-in-law. A Ninja missile used by the U.S. military fell on the seat where he was located.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Hellfire missile was not originally developed as an assassination weapon. It is the AGM-114 Hellfire missile developed by Lockheed Martin in the U.S., with several variants created for different purposes, and the ninja missile is known to be one of these variants.

The Hellfire missile was initially developed as an anti-tank weapon primarily mounted on armed helicopters such as the Apache. It has been in operational deployment since 1984, making it a weapon with over 40 years of service. Known for its excellent penetration and explosive power, it is now widely used not only on helicopters but also on light aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).

Notably, the ninja missile has a damage radius of about 50cm, which is very small for a missile. It is mainly used when the target is inside a vehicle, and if it hits precisely, only the seat occupied by the target is destroyed while other seats often remain intact. Depending on the angle of impact, passengers inside the vehicle may be affected, but damage outside the vehicle is rare.

During the recent strike that eliminated the Kata'ib Hezbollah commander, he was in a densely populated civilian area of Baghdad, yet civilian casualties were minimal. The fatalities were limited to him and three militia members.