What Are Iran’s Cluster Missiles That are Challenging Israel’s Defenses?

Iran has intensified its missile campaign against Israel by using cluster warheads, raising new concerns about civilian safety and the ability of missile defense systems to intercept the weapons.

Hours after Israel reportedly assassinated Iranian security chief Ali Larijani on March 17, Iran launched a series of missiles at central Israel. The attack killed two people in the city of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv and injured several others.

Falling shrapnel also caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure, including a train station in Tel Aviv, according to Israeli media reports.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described the attack as retaliation for Larijani’s killing.

Cluster munitions differ from conventional warheads because they release multiple smaller explosives instead of a single payload.

These weapons open mid-flight and disperse dozens of smaller “bomblets” across a wide area. Defense experts say the bomblets can strike multiple targets simultaneously, making the attack more destructive and harder to defend against.

Analysts say Iranian cluster warheads may carry between 20 and 80 submunitions, depending on the missile type.

Cluster mechanisms can be used in rockets, artillery shells, missiles, and aircraft-dropped bombs.

Iran has developed one of the largest missile arsenals in the Middle East over several decades. The program includes short-, medium-, and long-range ballistic missiles designed to compensate for the country’s limited modern air force.

Iran has also developed newer missiles such as Kheibar Shekan and Haj Qassem missiles.

Some analysts believe cluster warheads are now integrated into a significant portion of Iran’s ballistic missile inventory.

Iranian missile attacks have struck several Israeli locations since the conflict began.

Missiles recently hit areas around Tel Aviv, causing major building damage and casualties. Iranian strikes have also targeted the towns of Arad and Dimona, near a nuclear research center.

According to Israeli health authorities, more than 4,500 people have been wounded in Israel since the start of the war.

Military experts say cluster mechanisms make missile defense significantly more difficult.

Air defense systems must intercept the missile before the payload opens. Once the warhead releases multiple bomblets mid-flight, the attack transforms from a single target into dozens of falling explosives.

This creates multiple impact points and increases pressure on emergency services and bomb disposal teams.

Analysts also say cluster attacks can have a strong psychological impact on civilian populations.

Cluster munitions remain controversial because they often harm civilians long after conflicts end.

More than 100 countries have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a treaty adopted in 2008 that bans their use, production, and transfer.

However, Iran, Israel, and the United States are not signatories to the convention.

Human rights groups warn that many bomblets fail to explode on impact, leaving dangerous unexploded devices that can remain active for decades.

According to the United Nations, civilians accounted for about 93 percent of global casualties from cluster munitions in 2023.

Cluster weapons have appeared in several modern conflicts, including the war between Russia and Ukraine.

In 2023, the administration of former US President Joe Biden approved the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, a decision that drew criticism from human rights organizations.

Israel has also faced accusations of using cluster bombs in past conflicts, including wars in Lebanon and Syria.

Military analysts say Iran first demonstrated its cluster missile capability publicly in 2025. Its continued use in the current conflict suggests the technology is now fully integrated into its missile strategy.

As the war between Iran and Israel continues, the use of cluster munitions is likely to increase humanitarian concerns and raise questions about the escalation of the conflict.