Tons of “Bunker-Buster” Bomb Parts for Israel Go Through JFK Airport

During the Israeli-U.S. conflict against Iran, Challenge Airlines, an Israeli cargo carrier, transported significant quantities of parts for "bunker-buster" bombs through John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, according to a recent investigation by the Movement Research Unit. The airline made multiple trips in spring carrying bomb components for BLU-109s, a 2,000-pound munition linked to numerous civilian casualties in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

Over 100 shipments of guidance kits known as JDAMs were also sent, used to transform "dumb bombs" into GPS-guided munitions for precise targeting. The 2,000-pound bombs pose a significant threat of civilian casualties, according to Josh Paul, a former State Department official who quit to protest the Biden administration's weapon sales to Israel.

Israel has used these weapons extensively in Gaza and Lebanon, including a deadly strike on Gaza's Jabaliya refugee camp that resulted in dozens of civilian deaths. Despite the risks, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages JFK Airport, stated that the federal government and airlines have the primary responsibility for regulating such shipments.

The shipments did not include active munitions but previous deliveries had included explosives. The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America has organized a campaign to halt the flow of weapons to Israel through the airport, emphasizing that civilian air travel should prioritize passengers and the international community, not weapons.