Key features of cluster bombs

• Cluster munitions are designed to hit multiple targets at once. When the warhead bursts open, dozens of bomblets scatter over a large area, increasing the chances of damaging vehicles, infrastructure or troop formations.
• The main missile or bomb breaks apart at high altitude, releasing smaller explosives that fall across a wide radius before detonating.
• Because the bomblets spread over a broad area, they cannot precisely distinguish between military and civilian targets. This has drawn strong criticism from humanitarian groups.
• Cluster warheads can also complicate missile defence systems. Instead of intercepting a single incoming object, systems such as Israel’s Iron Dome or Arrow must track and attempt to stop multiple falling submunitions at once, increasing the chance that some may slip through.
• One of the most serious risks comes from bomblets that fail to explode on impact. These unexploded submunitions can remain on the ground like hidden landmines, posing long-term threats to civilians and emergency responders even years after a conflict ends.