According to a report by The Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed that Iran launched at least one ballistic missile equipped with a fragmenting cluster warhead at central Israel today, marking a significant escalation in Tehran’s missile tactics.
According to the IDF’s Home Front Command, the missile deployed its cluster warhead during descent at an altitude of approximately 7 kilometers. At that point, the warhead split and dispersed around 20 smaller munitions across a radius of eight kilometers. Unlike traditional warheads, these submunitions lack their own propulsion and scatter randomly toward the ground, posing widespread risk across a broad area.
One of the submunitions landed in the central town of Azor, striking a residential building and causing localized damage. The impact was described as being comparable to a small rocket explosion. There were no immediate reports of casualties from this specific strike.
An Israeli military official emphasized that while the individual explosions from these cluster bombs are relatively small, the threat they pose is more extensive than conventional missile warheads due to the wide dispersal of submunitions. “This type of warhead endangers a much broader area,” the official stated.
The IDF has urged the public to avoid any contact with suspected missile remains, warning that the unexploded submunitions are highly dangerous and may still detonate. Civilians are instructed to notify the authorities immediately if they encounter any suspicious fragments.
Despite the introduction of cluster munitions into Iran’s missile arsenal, the Home Front Command noted there is no change to current safety guidelines for civilians. People are advised to continue seeking shelter during air raid sirens and remain inside until given the all-clear.
This morning’s missile barrage from Iran included around 20 ballistic missiles, of which four made direct impacts inside Israel. In addition to the strike in Azor, heavy warheads caused significant destruction in Beersheba, Ramat Gan, and Holon. Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba sustained direct damage, and dozens were reportedly injured across multiple sites.
