Israel has accused Iran of using cluster munitions for the first time in the ongoing conflict, claiming Tehran launched a missile targeting civilian areas in central Israel. According to the Israeli military and its Washington embassy, the missile, which struck on Thursday, carried submunitions designed to increase civilian casualties. Cluster bombs are controversial due to their wide dispersal and the long-term threat posed by unexploded ordnance.
The Israeli embassy stated the missile detonated at about 7 km altitude, releasing roughly 20 bomblets over an 8 km radius. One reportedly hit a residential home in Azor, causing property damage but no casualties. Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin described the act as a deliberate attempt by Iran’s "terror regime" to inflict maximum harm on civilians.
While Iran’s UN mission has not responded, reports suggest the strike marks an escalation in the seven-day-old war between Israel and Iran, which began with Israeli airstrikes aimed at halting Tehran’s alleged nuclear ambitions. Iran has denied developing nuclear weapons.
The use of cluster bombs remains highly controversial. These weapons scatter submunitions over large areas, some of which often fail to detonate, posing long-term risks to civilians. Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association criticized the strike, saying cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate and particularly dangerous in populated areas. He noted that Iran’s missiles lack precision, increasing the likelihood of civilian harm.
Neither Iran nor Israel has signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, transfer, and stockpiling of such weapons. The United States also declined to join but controversially sent cluster munitions to Ukraine in 2023, as did Russia, according to Kyiv.
The Israeli military has issued public warnings about the dangers of unexploded submunitions as tensions in the region escalate.