Iran Cluster Bomb Missile

Iran Cluster Bomb Missile

Context and Background: During the escalation of tensions in the Middle East in March 2026, Israel accused Iran of using cluster-capable ballistic missiles, including the Kheibar Sheikan and Khorramshahr-4, in military operations. These missiles are believed to carry cluster warheads, which disperse multiple small explosives over a wide area, making them highly destructive and controversial weapons in modern warfare.

What are Cluster Bomb Missiles? A cluster bomb missile is a delivery system that releases dozens or hundreds of small explosive devices called submunitions or bomblets. Instead of targeting a single point, these weapons are designed to destroy multiple targets across a large area, typically between 15,000 and 30,000 square metres. The missile carries the payload to the target, where an altitude sensor triggers the outer casing to open. The bomblets then spread in the air through centrifugal force and fall on the ground, creating what is often described as an “explosive carpet.”