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3. Iranian Missile Barrage Hits Israel, Reports Indicate Use of Cluster Munitions

Israel reported renewed missile launches from Iran on Wednesday targeting central and northern areas, causing multiple casualties and damage across several sites, with reports indicating the possible use of cluster munitions that pose long-term risks to civilians.

The military stated it had “identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” marking the first such launch in approximately 20 hours. Air raid sirens were activated across central Israel.

Less than an hour later, a second warning of incoming missile fire was issued, triggering alerts across large parts of northern and central Israel, according to the military’s Home Front Command.

The Magen David Adom said an 11-year-old girl was seriously wounded by shrapnel in central Israel as a result of the initial barrage. Spokesman Zaki Heller told Israeli television that at least 12 others were also injured, including a 13-year-old boy and a 33-year-old woman in moderate condition, all from the same impact site.

Police reported damage at multiple locations in central Israel and shared an image appearing to show missile debris on a roadway.

Israeli media reported that cluster munitions, explosive weapons that disperse smaller bomblets over a wide area, were used in the attack. Iran and Israel have previously accused each other of deploying such weapons.
According to Human Rights Watch, Iran has repeatedly used inherently indiscriminate cluster munitions delivered by ballistic missiles in attacks targeting Israel since February 28, 2026, as stated in a report released on March 30.

“Iran’s use of cluster munitions in populated areas in Israel poses a foreseeable and long-lasting danger to civilians,” said Patrick Thompson, a crisis, conflict, and arms researcher at the organization. He emphasized that the wide dispersal of submunitions makes these weapons “unlawfully indiscriminate,” in violation of international humanitarian law.

Cluster munitions can be launched via rockets, missiles, artillery projectiles, or dropped from aircraft. Once deployed, they release dozens of smaller explosive bomblets over a broad area. Many of these submunitions fail to detonate on impact, leaving behind unexploded ordnance that can threaten civilians for years, functioning similarly to landmines until they are located and cleared.