2023 Israel-Hamas War

North Korean F-7 RPG round in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War

Hamas and Gaza-based armed groups used North Korean F-7 RPG rounds during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, with AP, VOA, and South Korean intelligence-linked reporting tying seized rounds, Korean-marked components, and reused rocket motors to Hamas activity after October 7, 2023.

Weapon profileNorth Korean F-7 rocket-propelled-grenade projectile
SideHamas and Gaza-based armed groupsRoleFrontline AssaultAnti-ArmorInsurgent / Guerrilla Use
North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled-grenade projectile, 40 mm HE-fragmentation RPG round, Munitions - 2023 Israel-Hamas War
Image source: VOA Israel-Hamas F-7 report

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Hamas used North Korean F-7 RPG rounds during the October 7, 2023 attack that began the 2023 Israel-Hamas War.

Sources: AP North Korean F-7 report, VOA Israel-Hamas F-7 report

Recovered F-7 components with Korean markings were identified in reporting reviewed by South Korea's National Intelligence Service.

Sources: VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation, Yonhap NIS F-7 confirmation

Hamas reused F-7 rocket motors as donor components for improvised anti-tank RPGs during the war.

Sources: VOA F-7 motor reuse report, VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation

The sources support Hamas use and component recovery, but they do not publicly establish the quantity, timing, or route of North Korean supply to Hamas.

Sources: AP North Korean F-7 report, Yonhap NIS F-7 confirmation, VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation

Timeline

North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled-grenade projectile In 2023 Israel-Hamas War

  1. F-7 rounds tied to the October 7 attack

    AP reported expert assessment that Hamas used North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenades during the October 7 attack, based on seized weapons and Hamas imagery.

    Sources: AP North Korean F-7 report

  2. VOA reports F-7 motor reuse

    VOA's Korean Service reported that Hamas repurposed F-7 rocket motors into improvised anti-tank rockets during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War.

    Sources: VOA F-7 motor reuse report

  3. South Korean intelligence confirms the F-7 assessment

    Yonhap and VOA reported that South Korea's National Intelligence Service said its assessment matched VOA reporting that Hamas used North Korean F-7 RPG components.

    Sources: Yonhap NIS F-7 confirmation, VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The North Korean F-7 RPG round is directly documented in Hamas use during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. Associated Press reported in October 2023 that analysis of seized weapons and Hamas imagery tied the group to North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenades during the October 7 attack on Israel.

Voice of America later published Korean Service reporting on seized F-7 rounds and images from the conflict, and VOA's English-language report said South Korea's National Intelligence Service assessed that VOA's F-7 identification was correct. The NIS released a photograph of a disassembled F-7 component and said it was collecting more evidence on the scale and timing of North Korean arms supply to Hamas.

Sources: AP North Korean F-7 report, VOA Israel-Hamas F-7 report, VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation, Yonhap NIS F-7 confirmation

Dated appearances

The first supported wartime event in this record is October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel. AP attributed the F-7 identification to expert review of weapons seized from Hamas and imagery released by the group.

On December 28, 2023, VOA's Korean Service reported that Hamas had also repurposed F-7 rocket motors into improvised anti-tank RPGs. In January 2024, Yonhap and VOA reported that South Korea's National Intelligence Service agreed with VOA's assessment that Hamas had used North Korean F-7 RPG components.

Sources: AP North Korean F-7 report, VOA F-7 motor reuse report, VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation, Yonhap NIS F-7 confirmation

Battlefield role

Within the cataloged conflict row, the F-7 belongs to Hamas and Gaza-based armed groups and is categorized as RPG-family anti-armor and small-unit guerrilla use. The direct sources support two related uses: complete F-7 rounds associated with the October 7 attack and F-7 rocket motors reused as donor components in improvised anti-tank rockets reported during the war.

The public evidence supports use and component recovery more clearly than a full transfer history. AP noted that North Korea had denied supplying arms to Hamas, while VOA and Yonhap reported that South Korean intelligence did not disclose details on the quantity or timing of F-7 transfers.

Sources: AP North Korean F-7 report, VOA F-7 motor reuse report, VOA English NIS F-7 confirmation, Yonhap NIS F-7 confirmation

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Sources