Iran has launched multiple ballistic missiles carrying cluster munitions toward various areas of Israel, with near-continuous explosions reported across Tel Aviv, according to Israeli authorities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in an official statement that it had detected missiles launched from Iran heading toward Israeli territory. In response, the IDF activated its air defense systems.
Cluster Munitions Observed Over Central Israel
Video footage circulating online shows a medium-range Iranian ballistic missile releasing numerous smaller submunitions mid-air before they descend over central Israel — including densely populated areas of Tel Aviv. Social media posts from open-source intelligence analysts and observers describe the munitions as cluster bombs, designed to disperse over wide areas and maximize damage to infrastructure and civilian populations.
What Are Cluster Munitions?
Cluster munitions are weapons that release dozens—or even hundreds—of smaller explosive submunitions over a broad area. Because they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians, their use in populated areas poses severe risks to non-combatants and critical infrastructure. International humanitarian law restricts their use, and over 120 countries have signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions banning them outright — though neither Iran nor Israel is a signatory.