Iran now using sophisticated cluster bomb missiles

Devastating missile attack on central Israel Thursday morning revealed by Israeli defense establishment to employ Iranian cluster bomb-style missiles, allowing single missile to damage wide area.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s military said Thursday that Iran’s latest missile attack used missiles capable of dispersing multiple smaller projectiles to increase the amount of damage caused.

At just after 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, Israel detected roughly two dozen missile launches from Iran towards southern and central Israel.

While a number of incoming ballistic missiles were intercepted, several managed to score direct hits on buildings in Israel, including a hit to the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba.

In central Israel, a number of buildings in Ramat Gan and Holon suffered damage from what appeared to be single missile impacts, raised suspicions that the ballistic missiles deployed cluster bombs or MIRVs – multiple independent re-entry vehicles.

Developed during the Cold War to ensure nuclear missiles would be able to evade air defense networks and deliver at least some of their warheads to their targets, MIRV missiles launch smaller projectiles, each carrying separate payloads, while inbound towards the target.

Debris found at the scene of missile attacks in central Israel Thursday reinforce suspicions that the ballistic missiles employed in the strikes were either MIRV-style weapons, or included cluster bomb-style warheads which scattered smaller explosive devices when detonated.

Galei Tzahal, Israel’s army radio, reported that two defense officials have confirmed that the Israel Air Force and Home Front Command are currently investigating the possible use of MIRVs or cluster bombs by Iran.

Later on Thursday, the Home Front Command confirmed that at least one of the ballistic missiles fired earlier in the day contained a number of smaller warheads, each armed with 2.5 kilograms of explosives.

At least 89 people were injured in Thursday’s attacks, including six who were seriously injured.

Widespread damage was inflicted on downtown Ramat Gan, including to the national diamond exchange.

According to the Home Front Command, the miniature warheads were dispersed from the missile at an altitude of 7,000 meters and were scattered over a radius of 8 kilometers.

Prior to the launch of Operation Rising Lion, Iran claimed to possess MIRV-capable missiles and MIRV prototypes, though this was not independently confirmed.

Iran is believed to possess cluster munition warheads and submunition payloads.