Iran possesses three types of ballistic missiles with cluster warheads, including the Qader and Khoramshahr, capable of reaching Israel. These missiles have previously been launched toward Israel. Each carries a warhead containing several hundred kilograms of explosives plus about 20 smaller cluster submunitions. The submunitions are released around 7 kilometers above the target area and disperse over roughly 8 kilometers without precision guidance. Each cluster weighs only a few kilograms and contains 2.5–7 kg of explosives.
The missile launched by the Houthis on Friday evening
Damage caused by these cluster submunitions is comparable to a simple Qassam rocket previously fired by Hamas from Gaza. They cannot penetrate reinforced shelters but can cause casualties and damage, as occurred in a Bedouin settlement during an exchange of fire with Iran.
The Houthis, whose recent missile and drone launches were consistently intercepted, appear to have sought a method to penetrate Israeli airspace. Likely using Iranian knowledge, they deployed a missile designed to scatter cluster munitions. These Iranian-made missiles are meant to penetrate the atmosphere before releasing their payload. What exactly went wrong with this missile remains unclear, but the situation may resemble the 1991 Gulf War, when U.S. Patriot missiles failed to intercept Iraqi Al-Hussein missiles because the warheads disintegrated midair and the Patriots targeted the heavy engine rather than the warhead.
Only one cluster submunition of the Houthi missile reached the ground and exploded, indicating a malfunction. Israeli Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems, designed to intercept cluster warhead missiles before the submunitions are released, did not engage. Arrow 3, for instance, is meant to neutralize the threat well before the warhead disperses. The failure raises questions about why the interception did not occur and whether the limited number of submunitions that actually reached Israel affected the systems’ response. The missile itself did not explode on Israeli soil, contrary to some reports, but dispersed its cluster munitions, which the detection radar interpreted as missile disintegration.
Most Yemenis do not support the Houthis, aiding the official Yemeni government in its fight against the militia. While these strikes may not stop missile and drone launches toward Israel entirely, they are likely to have a cumulative effect already noticeable in the rate of recent Houthi launches. Nonetheless, despite improving intelligence, it remains uncertain whether the Houthis will cease their attacks.
