Iran Strikes Israel with Cluster Bomb: What It Is and Why It's Considered a War Crime

As tensions in the Middle East continued to rise for the eighth consecutive day, Iran reportedly launched a cluster munition warhead in a civilian area.
Israel has said that Iran fired a missile at the Israeli city of Or Yehuda, which was fitted with cluster munitions.
The Israeli military said in a statement, “Iranian Armed Forces fired a missile that contained cluster submunitions at a densely populated civilian area in Israel.”

What are cluster munitions?
A cluster munition, also known as a cluster bomb, is a type of explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions, known as bomblets, over a wide area. These submunitions are designed to target multiple points or cover broad regions, making them highly destructive.
Once launched, a cluster bomb opens mid-air and disperses dozens of bomblets. A cluster munition can be launched by missiles, artillery, or aircraft. They are designed to destroy personnel, vehicles, or infrastructure over a large area.
What makes cluster munitions dangerous is that unexploded bomblets often remain on the ground, posing a long-term danger to civilians—similar to landmines.

Cluster Munitions: A War Crime?
Although cluster bombs are not classified as war crimes, the Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted in 2008, bans the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions. While over 110 countries are signatories or parties to the treaty, the U.S., Russia, China, and India have not signed it.

How Dangerous Are Cluster Bombs?

Cluster munitions are dangerous as they scatter bomblets over a wide area, often without the ability to distinguish between military targets and civilians. In densely populated areas, this makes civilian casualties nearly inevitable.
Moreover, up to 40% of bomblets fail to explode on impact, becoming deadly remnants of war. These act like landmines, causing civilian deaths and injuries long after a conflict ends. Additionally, they hinder farming, reconstruction, and safe resettlement.
Given the harm cluster bombs can cause to individuals not involved in military operations or war, their use is considered a war crime.

Countries accused of using cluster bombs
In the past, Israel has been accused of using cluster bombs in Lebanon, drawing widespread criticism from humanitarian groups. Russia and Ukraine have also been accused of using cluster bombs.