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Explosive violence by the Israeli Defense Forces

Over the past decade (2014-2023), AOAV has recorded 1,870 incidents of explosive weapons use attributed to Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces are the reported perpetrators of 19,633 civilian casualties (11,018 killed), and 1,844 armed actor casualties (1,256 killed).

Attacks attributed to the Israeli Defense Forces have been recorded in Gaza (19,126 civilian casualties), the West Bank (201), Syria (195), Lebanon (96), Israel (15), Iraq (no civilian casualties), and Egypt (no civilian casualties).

Air-launched weapons account for 86% (16,829) of civilian casualties attributed to Israel, while combined weapons caused 8% (1,566) of civilian casualties and ground-launched weapons caused 6% (1,160).

The majority of civilian casualties were recorded in Israeli attacks on urban residential areas, which account for 59% (11,585) of civilian casualties. Other locations impacted by attacks attributed to Israel include encampments (2,173 civilian casualties), multiple urban (1,738), schools (984), hospitals (683), villages (458).

15 Jun 2026

Elbit Systems’ weapons supply to Israel and alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law in Gaza

This briefing examines Elbit Systems' role as a major supplier of military equipment used by Israel in Gaza, explores allegations concerning potential links between its products and alleged violations of international humanitarian law, assesses claims regarding the involvement of its UK subsidiaries in Israeli military supply chains, and considers the implications of applying terrorism legislation to Palestine Action activists who targeted Elbit facilities.

10 Jun 2026

Patterns of civilian harm, displacement, and institutional targeting by Israel of Lebanon, October 2023 to June 2026: a data-driven assessment of the war’s human impact

Drawing on Lebanese government, UN, and humanitarian data, this report analyses the human consequences of Israels attacks on Lebanon from October 2023 to June 2026, documenting escalating civilian harm, mass displacement, repeated attacks on health infrastructure, and persistent uncertainty regarding combatant casualty claims.

1 Jun 2026

Opinion: how Israeli “Mowing the Grass” entrenched strategic failure in Gaza

Here AOAV presents an analysis of how Israel’s strategy of repeated “precision” military operations in Gaza produced short-term tactical successes but has failed to address long-term political instability leading, in the end, to strategic failure.

13 Apr 2026

South Korean president’s concerns about alleged abuses by Israeli forces echoes longstanding accountability concerns, AOAV says

South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung has reignited scrutiny of Israeli military conduct by highlighting alleged abuses, with Action on Armed Violence arguing the incident reflects a longstanding pattern of weak accountability in Israeli investigations.

30 Mar 2026

The smallest casualties: the war in the Middle-East is killing children at an alarming rate

AOAV data show that the US-led war against Iran has inflicted a rapid and devastating toll on children, with at least 212 killed largely due to systemic human and intelligence failures exemplified by the catastrophic Minab school strike.

25 Mar 2026

The politics of immunity: UK–Israel legal coordination and the erosion of universal jurisdiction

Here AOAV contends that the UK, in coordination with Israeli legal actors, has developed a legal and diplomatic framework that limits the risk of war crimes accountability for Israeli officials and associated personnel on British soil.

12 Mar 2026

Israel drops rape charges against soldiers. For AOAV, this pattern of impunity was already clear

When investigations exist to shield institutions rather than scrutinise them, impunity becomes policy

10 Mar 2026

Iran and the Middle East: INEW warns of escalating harm as civilian casualties reported across region

The International Network on Explosive Weapons warns that escalating hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States are causing widespread civilian harm across the Middle East, urging parties to stop using heavy explosive weapons in populated areas and to uphold international humanitarian law.

9 Mar 2026

AOAV commentary: white phosphorus use in Lebanon raises renewed alarm over incendiary weapons

Evidence documented by Human Rights Watch that Israeli forces used airburst white phosphorus munitions over residential areas in southern Lebanon highlights once again the grave humanitarian risks posed by incendiary weapons in populated environments, a longstanding concern for Action on Armed Violence.

5 Mar 2026

The casualty ratios that complicate Israeli claims about Gaza

A widely cited claim that Gaza’s casualty ratio shows precise targeting of fighters collapses under comparison with other conflicts, where far higher male-to-female death ratios typically accompany wars that predominantly kill combatants.

2 Mar 2026

A briefing note for journalists on the UK’s role in the global F-35 programme

As the only Tier 1 partner in the global F-35 programme, the United Kingdom plays a deeply embedded role across manufacturing, weapons integration, engines, avionics, sustainment and export logistics, generating billions in contracts while raising mounting questions about accountability, export controls and complicity in overseas conflicts.