00:00On June 19th, a missile launched from Iran towards central Israel did more than just
00:24explode. It unleashed fear, triggered alarms and dropped one of the most controversial
00:32weapons in modern warfare, a cluster bomb.
00:39For the first time in this ongoing conflict, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that one
00:45of the missiles carried a cluster munition warhead, a weapon banned by over a hundred
00:52countries due to its devastating impact on civilians.
00:57So what exactly is a cluster bomb?
01:01Unlike a conventional missile that explodes in a single blast, a cluster bomb is designed
01:07to detonate mid-air, scattering dozens, sometimes hundreds, of smaller sub munitions across
01:16a wide area. These smaller bombs, often called bomblets, fall to the ground unguided, exploding
01:25on impact. But here's the danger. Many of them don't detonate. They remain dormant on roads,
01:33rooftops, playgrounds for days, months or even years. Until someone, often a civilian or a
01:43child accidentally comes too close. In this latest attack, the missile's warhead
01:49reportedly detonated seven kilometers above the ground, spreading around 20-some munitions
01:55over an area spanning eight kilometers in and around Azor, a town near Tel Aviv. One of those
02:03bomblets hit a residential home, causing material damage. But thankfully, no casualties were reported.
02:12Still, the Israeli Home Front Command issued an urgent warning.
02:17Do not touch any strange or suspicious objects. Call emergency services immediately.
02:25Cluster bombs are widely condemned for their indiscriminate nature. According to arms control
02:31experts, these weapons pose a long-term threat, especially in densely populated areas where children,
02:39families and first responders may unknowingly come into contact with unexploded audits.
02:47That's why in 2008, 111 countries signed a treaty banning cluster munitions. But Iran, Israel,
02:57Russia and the United States are not among them. And ironically, even as Iran now deploys them,
03:05the US itself faced backlash in 2023 for supplying cluster bombs to Ukraine. This incident underscores
03:13a grim reality. In modern warfare, the line between military target and civilian threat is becoming
03:21dangerously blurred. And with weapons like cluster munitions, the danger doesn't end with explosion.
03:28It lynches, silently, waiting.
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