NEWS
Iran Deploys Controversial Cluster Bomb Ballistic Missiles Against Israel, Raising Civilian Safety Concerns
Iran has reportedly escalated its confrontation with Israel by deploying a new and highly controversial weapon: ballistic missiles equipped with cluster bomb warheads, Israeli military officials say.
According to reports from The Times of Israel, these advanced missiles are engineered to break apart mid-air, scattering multiple smaller explosives across wide areas. Each warhead releases roughly 20 submunitions, each containing about 2.5 kilograms of explosives, capable of detonating on impact across several kilometers.
Unlike conventional ballistic missile warheads, which concentrate a single large blast in one location, cluster munitions disperse smaller explosions across a broad radius. Military analysts warn that this significantly increases the number of potential impact points, creating a more widespread threat even if each individual blast is less powerful.
Israeli authorities confirmed that such missiles have been fired multiple times during the ongoing conflict.
However, the exact number of launches remains unclear, as many projectiles were reportedly intercepted by Israel’s advanced air defense systems.
On Tuesday, fragments from a cluster missile landed in multiple locations in central Israel, injuring at least 12 people, according to emergency responders. Officials noted that the damage caused by the dispersed bombs resembled multiple small rocket strikes rather than a single concentrated explosion.
Footage circulating online shows glowing fragments streaking through the sky after a missile disintegrated mid-flight, visually demonstrating how the submunitions spread before hitting the ground.
Israeli authorities have issued urgent warnings regarding unexploded submunitions, which can remain active after failing to detonate, functioning similarly to landmines. Residents are being advised to avoid any suspicious debris and report it immediately to security personnel to prevent further casualties.
The deployment of cluster munitions marks a concerning development in the conflict, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by civilians amid the intensifying missile exchanges between Iran and Israel.