Did Russia or China help Iran with Cluster missile capability? Questions grow after Israel strike

Israeli analysts believe several Iranian missile systems are capable of carrying cluster warheads.

• Iran accused of using cluster warheads in missile attacks on Israel
• Cluster missiles hit near Tel Aviv, injuring civilians, say officials
• Cluster munitions pose long-term risks due to unexploded bomblets

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Concerns are growing over how Iran acquired the capability to deploy cluster warheads on ballistic missiles after Israeli officials claimed such weapons were used in the latest attacks on Israel.

Israeli defence analysts have raised the possibility that foreign expertise may have contributed to Iran’s development of these systems, prompting speculation about potential technological support from Russia or China.

The controversy comes amid reports that Iranian missiles equipped with cluster payloads have already been used several times during the ongoing confrontation with Israel.

Strike reported near Tel Aviv

Israeli military officials say at least one Iranian missile carrying cluster munitions detonated over central Israel during a recent wave of strikes.

According to Israeli accounts, the warhead separated at an altitude of about four miles, releasing roughly 20 smaller bomblets that spread across an area with a radius of about five miles. One of these submunitions reportedly hit a residential building in the town of Azor, just south of Tel Aviv.

The blast damaged the structure but did not cause fatalities.

In the same barrage, another missile carrying similar payloads landed near Tel Aviv, leaving at least 12 people injured. Since February 28, Iranian ballistic missile strikes have killed at least 11 people in Israel and wounded more than 1,000 others, according to figures cited in reporting by NBC News.

The Israeli military also issued warnings to the public about unexploded submunitions that may remain on the ground following such attacks.

Brigadier General Effie Defrin, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, accused Tehran of deliberately targeting civilians. “The terror regime seeks to harm civilians and even used weapons with wide dispersal in order to maximise the scope of the damage,” he said.

What makes cluster warheads different

Cluster weapons are widely considered among the most contentious types of modern munitions. Instead of exploding in a single blast, the warhead opens mid-air and scatters numerous smaller explosives over a wide area.

Israeli defence officials say certain Iranian cluster missile warheads can disperse as many as 80 submunitions before reaching the ground, spreading destructive fragments across several kilometres.

Each bomblet usually carries a smaller explosive charge — often comparable to the power of short-range rockets used by militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

Military experts say that while each detonation is smaller than a conventional missile warhead, the overall damage footprint can be significantly larger because the explosions occur across a broad zone.

A conventional ballistic missile typically carries a single warhead weighing between 500 and 1,000 kilograms. Cluster payloads operate differently by scattering dozens of smaller charges that detonate across a much wider area.

Long-term danger from unexploded bomblets

One of the most serious concerns surrounding cluster weapons is the number of submunitions that fail to explode when they land.

A portion of the bomblets can remain active for years, effectively turning into improvised landmines. These unexploded explosives pose risks long after the fighting ends, threatening civilians, emergency responders and reconstruction workers.

Military analysts also note that intercepting a cluster missile mid-flight can make the situation more unpredictable. If the warhead breaks apart before reaching its intended target, submunitions may fall randomly across surrounding areas.

Some may explode on impact while others remain dormant until disturbed.

A change in Iran’s missile campaign

Israeli officials say Iran has launched several cluster-equipped missiles in recent days.

Defence authorities estimate that at least five such missiles have been fired since Saturday, with most directed toward densely populated regions. Two were reportedly launched in a single barrage targeting central Israel earlier this week.

Although missile launches have continued throughout the week, their intensity has fluctuated.

On March 3, Israel recorded six separate missile barrages from Iran — the same number fired the previous day. This was far fewer than February 28, when officials reported at least 20 missile barrages within 24 hours.

Despite the reduced pace, Israeli defence officials say the introduction of cluster warheads represents a new tactical challenge because of the wider area affected by each strike.

Iran’s missile systems and cluster payloads

Israeli analysts believe several Iranian missile systems are capable of carrying cluster warheads.

These include the short-range Zolfaghar missile, the longer-range Qadr series and the Khorramshahr ballistic missile.

The Khorramshahr system is considered the most powerful among them. Iranian officials claim it has a range of around 2,000 kilometres and can carry up to 80 bomblets.

Iranian state media has also reported that the domestically produced Qadr S missile is designed to carry a cluster payload with a similar range.

In 2015, Iranian authorities displayed a Fateh missile variant that reportedly carried 30 submunitions, each weighing about 20 pounds.

Analysts cited by The New York Times previously suggested that either a Qiam-series missile, derived from the Soviet-era Scud design, or a Khorramshahr missile may have delivered cluster munitions during an earlier attack on Israel in June 2025.

Earlier use and international debate

Israeli officials say cluster missiles were first used during a brief 12-day confrontation between Iran and Israel last June, when three such missiles reportedly struck seven cities.

Iran’s inventory may also include foreign-origin cluster systems. Open-source intelligence from Jane’s Information Group has listed several types believed to be in Iran’s possession, including KMGU dispensers as well as PROSAB-250 and BL755 cluster bombs originally manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Globally, cluster munitions remain one of the most contested categories of weapons.

More than 100 countries signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008, banning the use, production and stockpiling of such arms. A total of 111 countries and 12 other entities have joined the treaty.

However, Iran, Israel and the United States are not among the signatories. The issue drew renewed international attention in 2023 when Washington supplied cluster munitions to Ukraine, which said Russian forces had also used similar weapons during the war.