2023 Israel-Hamas War

M48 mortar projectile in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War

Palestinian armed groups in Gaza were documented using M48 HE mortar bombs with Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortars, including Al-Qassam Brigades activity in Jabalia and an Al-Quds Brigades attack in the Netzarim Axis area.

Weapon profileM48 mortar projectile
SideHamas and Gaza-based armed groupsRoleFire SupportInsurgent / Guerrilla Use
M48 mortar projectile, 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb, Munitions - 2023 Israel-Hamas War
Image source: Wikimedia Commons mortar ready image

Evidence Map

ClaimEvidence typeSources
Al-Quds Brigades used M48 HE mortar bombs with a DIO HM-16 mortar in a 12 December 2024 Netzarim Axis attack.METIS event entry with identified munition categories and event text

Sources: METIS Netzarim Axis M48 event

Al-Qassam Brigades used M48 HE mortar bombs with a DIO HM-16 mortar in reported Jabalia mortar attacks.War Noir battlefield-media identification mirrored on Telegram and repost archive

Sources: War Noir Telegram Jabalia mortar attacks, AR15 War Noir repost archive

The M48 is a 120 mm Iranian HE-FRAG mortar bomb, and DIO catalog material links M48 bombs to the HM-16 120 mm mortar's firing data.Technical reference and manufacturer catalog context

Sources: METIS 120 mm M48 HE Mortar Bomb, DIO Armament Industries Group catalog

Timeline

M48 mortar projectile In 2023 Israel-Hamas War

  1. Netzarim Axis attack recorded

    METIS recorded Al-Quds Brigades attacks against an IDF logistical supply site in the Netzarim Axis area and identified M48 HE mortar bombs fired from an Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortar.

    Sources: METIS Netzarim Axis M48 event

  2. Jabalia mortar use reported

    War Noir reported Al-Qassam Brigades mortar attacks against IDF troops in Jabalia using an Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortar with M48 HE mortar bombs.

    Sources: War Noir Telegram Jabalia mortar attacks, AR15 War Noir repost archive

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

Open-source event reporting documents M48 HE mortar bombs in Gaza with Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortars. METIS recorded a 12 December 2024 Netzarim Axis event in which Al-Quds Brigades attacked an IDF logistical supply site and reported use of M48 HE mortar bombs with the HM-16 mortar and 107 mm Fadjr-1 rockets.

War Noir's Telegram mirror separately reported Al-Qassam Brigades mortar attacks against IDF troops in Jabalia, Gaza Strip, and identified the firing system as an Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortar with M48 HE mortar bombs.

Sources: METIS Netzarim Axis M48 event, War Noir Telegram Jabalia mortar attacks

Timeline

The clearest dated public event is the 12 December 2024 METIS Netzarim Axis entry. The Jabalia item is treated as a reported-use milestone because the accessible War Noir Telegram mirror and reposted tweet context date the report to August 2025, while the public mirror does not establish an independent attack date beyond the Gaza/Jabalia location.

Sources: METIS Netzarim Axis M48 event, War Noir Telegram Jabalia mortar attacks, AR15 War Noir repost archive

Use in Gaza

The documented use pattern is indirect fire by Gaza-based armed groups rather than state military employment. In the cited Netzarim Axis case, the M48 appears as mortar ammunition in a combined attack package that also included 107 mm rockets. In the Jabalia reporting, it appears as 120 mm mortar ammunition used against IDF troops.

Technical references identify the Iranian M48 as a standard-pressure, fin-stabilized 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb copied from the Israeli M48 design. A DIO Armament Industries Group catalog gives the HM-16 120 mm mortar's listed range when firing M48 bombs, which supports the launcher-and-ammunition pairing described in Gaza event reporting but does not by itself prove conflict use.

Sources: METIS Netzarim Axis M48 event, War Noir Telegram Jabalia mortar attacks, METIS 120 mm M48 HE Mortar Bomb, DIO Armament Industries Group catalog

Related Weapons by Role

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Sources