politics
March 23, 2026
Breaching the Iron Dome: the Iranian cluster bombs bypassing Israeli air defences
Gleaming trails of bomblets in night sky have become familiar to Israelis as Tehran exploits apparent vulnerability
TL;DR
- Iran is using ballistic missiles with cluster warheads, capable of dispersing submunitions over a wide area.
- These cluster munitions have penetrated Israeli airspace, causing casualties and testing the effectiveness of Israel's multi-layered missile defense system.
- Intercepting cluster munitions is technically more difficult than unitary missiles, as interceptors must strike before dispersal.
- The use of cluster munitions is considered a war crime by Israel and a violation of international law by Amnesty International, though neither Israel nor Iran are signatories to the convention banning them.
- Iran's strategy may aim to deplete Israel's interceptor missile stocks due to the high cost of interception.
- The persistent use of sirens and cluster munitions is causing fatigue among Israelis.
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