Iranian Missiles Test Israel’s Air Defenses
The Threat of Cluster Munitions
Iran has launched dozens of missiles equipped with cluster munition warheads at Israel since the start of the war, presenting a significant challenge for Israel’s missile defense system. These weapons are particularly dangerous because they split and disperse into smaller explosives mid-flight, making them difficult to intercept.
One such missile was not intercepted by Israel’s defenses overnight, resulting in the tragic deaths of a couple in their 70s and damage to one of Tel Aviv’s main train stations. Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani confirmed that the couple was killed by a single bomblet from a cluster munition.
“This cluster bomb was fired by the Iranian regime towards a center of mass population, firing dozens of rockets towards the civilians, deliberately targeting civilians,” Shoshani stated. “This is a war crime by the Iranian regime.”
Efforts to Intercept Cluster Missiles
Shoshani emphasized that the military is doing everything possible to intercept these missiles as high up as possible to minimize damage. However, the nature of cluster munitions makes this task extremely challenging. Once released, these weapons can scatter over a wide area, creating deadly hazards for civilians.
International Ban on Cluster Munitions
Cluster munitions are banned by more than 100 countries, including those that participated in an international conference in Dublin in 2008. Despite this, Israel and Iran have not joined the ban, along with major powers like the U.S., China, and Russia.
Israel’s Home Front Command has issued videos warning citizens about the dangers of these munitions, highlighting that they can become “dangerous explosive traps” for small children or pets. The command’s guidance underscores the need for vigilance and preparedness during wartime.
The Scale of the Threat
The military has reported that about half of the missiles fired from Iran since the joint attack by Israel and the U.S. on February 28 have been cluster warheads. This type of weaponry was also used during the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran last June.
An Israeli military official explained that each Iranian cluster warhead contains approximately 24 submunitions, each carrying 2–5 kg of explosives. These submunitions break apart at an altitude of 7–10 km above the ground, creating multiple impact points.
“Each submunition can detonate when it hits the ground or another hard surface,” the official said. “Its effect is similar to the explosion of a grenade – relatively limited local damage but highly dangerous to anyone nearby.”
Intercepting Above the Atmosphere
Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, noted that most missiles are intercepted by Israel’s Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system. To prevent damage, “they must be intercepted above the atmosphere as far as possible from the target area,” Kalisky said. “There’s no other way, because once the cluster bombs are released (in the atmosphere), you cannot intercept them.”
Israel’s Defensive and Offensive Strategies
Shoshani highlighted that Israel’s offensive capabilities are also crucial in countering the threat. Israel claims to have bombed hundreds of targets in Iran, including missile launching sites. According to the U.S.-based Iran human rights group HRANA, an estimated 3,000-plus people have been killed in Iran since the start of the war.
“We’ve been degrading their ability to fire missiles, (along with) active defense systems and the passive defense system, sirens and people going to the safe rooms,” said Shoshani regarding efforts to prevent Israeli casualties from Iranian missiles.
“The combination of all that has had great success, but is still not perfect.”
