Iran strikes Israel with missile armed with cluster bombs
What's the story
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran entered the eighth day on Friday, with Tehran firing at least one missile that scatters small bombs at the Jewish nation.
This is the first instance of such weapons being used in the week-long war.
The Israeli military said one missile exploded at an altitude of about 7 km, releasing around 20 submunitions over central Israel.
One of these struck a home in Azor, causing damage but no casualties.
Controversial
Why cluster bombs are controversial
Cluster bombs are controversial because they randomly disperse submunitions, some of which can fail to explode and kill or injure long after a conflict has ended.
"Iran unlawfully fired...at civilian population centers, and seeks to maximize the damage...by using wide-dispersal munitions," the Israeli embassy said in an email to Reuters.
Iran and Israel refused to join a 2008 international ban on the production, stockpiling, transfer, and use of cluster bombs, which was signed by 111 countries and 12 additional entities.
Escalating conflict
Israel bombs nuclear infrastructure in Iran
Israeli planes struck a nuclear plant under construction in central Iran during a round of air strikes on the seventh day of the two countries' confrontation on Thursday.
In response, Iranian missiles hit several locations across Israel, including the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Iran's leadership will pay for the attack on an Israeli hospital.
Potential involvement
Trump to decide on military support for Israel
He claimed Israel is ahead of schedule in its military campaign against Iran and can target all of their nuclear facilities.
The White House has said President Donald Trump will decide within two weeks whether to support Israel militarily. This comes amid fears of Iran producing a nuclear weapon soon.
Earlier, Trump said he was weighing the option of joining Israel's strikes, saying, "I may do it, I may not do it."
Strategic shift
US military aircraft have 'vanished' from Qatar airbase
In a related development, nearly 40 US military aircraft have vanished from a major airbase in Qatar over the past two weeks.
As of June 5, satellite pictures showed that the Al Udeid Air Base hosted approximately 40 aircraft, including C-130 Hercules transport planes and advanced reconnaissance jets. However, by June 19, just three planes had been seen.
This appears to be a precautionary measure to protect American assets from possible Iranian attacks.