Iran’s reported use of a cluster bomb in a missile strike on Israel raised alarms about these controversial weapons.
Cluster bombs release multiple smaller explosives, or submunitions, over a wide area. Unlike traditional missiles, which detonate in a single blast, cluster bombs scatter unguided explosives that detonate on impact. In Iran’s attack, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported a missile detonating at an altitude of seven kilometres, dispersing ~20 submunitions across an eight-kilometre radius in central Israel, per The Times of Israel.
Israel believes cluster munitions were used in the Iranian missile attack, damaging a hospital area and residential neighbourhoods near Tel Aviv.
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/LSMuhYtURQ pic.twitter.com/WkEfy8ZFCP
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 20, 2025Cluster bombs are criticised for their indiscriminate destruction and unexploded ordnance, which can endanger civilians long after conflicts. Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association noted, “They are egregious weapons, especially in populated areas, due to their wide-area destruction and lingering risks.” The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions bans their use, but Iran, Israel, and the U.S. are non-signatories.
הבוקר חווינו פגיעה של טיל בעל יכולת פיזור של חימושים קטנים המתפזרים בשטח רחב יחסית.
יתכן שחלק מהחימושים יישארו על הקרקע ולא יתפוצצו.
לא נוגעים בנפלים או בחפץ חשוד, מיד מתקשרים 100. pic.twitter.com/5zzBW72Oww
— פיקוד העורף (@PikudHaoref1) June 19, 2025A submunition struck a home in Azor, causing material damage but no reported casualties. The IDF issued a safety advisory via X, urging residents to avoid suspicious objects and call 100. A senior IDF official told The Times of Israel that cluster bombs threaten broader areas than standard missiles, posing risks to civilians and infrastructure.
Read: Satellite Images Reveal Severe Damage to Iran’s Arak Nuclear Facility
The U.S. supplied cluster munitions to Ukraine in 2023, and Russia has allegedly used them, highlighting their controversial use by non-signatory nations. The attack underscores escalating Israel-Iran tensions, with potential for further conflict.
