Since the outbreak of the current Iran-Israel conflict on February 28, 2026, Iranian forces have repeatedly deployed cluster munitions against populated centers inside Israel. The weapon’s mechanics are straightforward and its legal status is not: a ballistic missile releases its warhead in flight, dispersing dozens of unguided submunitions across an area up to thirteen kilometers wide. That dispersal pattern is incompatible with the foundational rule of distinction — the obligation under international humanitarian law to separate combatants from civilians before pulling the trigger.