TAMPA, FL / WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) continues to conduct operations against Iranian military infrastructure as part of Operation Epic Fury, amid growing international concern over Iran's escalating use of cluster munitions in attacks on Israeli population centers. This briefing consolidates the latest publicly available information as of April 8, 2026.

▸ Key Facts at a Glance • Approximately 70% of Iranian missile launches have carried cluster munitions warheads.
• U.S. forces have employed 5,000-lb deep penetrator munitions against hardened Iranian coastal missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
• CENTCOM reports "hundreds" of unmanned platforms deployed under Operation Epic Fury, including long-range kamikaze drones used in combat for the first time.
• Israel's military claims more than 70% of Iran's ballistic missile launchers have been destroyed.
• F-16s have been photographed loaded with BLU-91/B "Gator" anti-tank mine-dispensing cluster bombs for operations in Iran.

Iran's Cluster Munitions Campaign

According to reporting from the Institute for the Study of War, approximately 70 percent of Iran's missile launches against Israel have carried cluster munition payloads. These weapons, designed to disperse submunitions over a wide area, pose a severe and indiscriminate threat to civilian populations. Recent strikes on central Israel killed at least two people and seriously wounded two others.

Cluster munitions are particularly dangerous because a significant percentage of submunitions fail to detonate on impact, effectively becoming landmines that can kill or maim civilians — including children — for years after a conflict ends. Neither Iran, Israel, nor the United States are signatories to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans their production, stockpiling, and use.

CENTCOM Strikes on Iranian Infrastructure

U.S. Central Command has reported successful employment of multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions targeting hardened Iranian anti-ship cruise missile sites along the coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. These sites were assessed as direct threats to international commercial shipping and U.S. Navy operations in the region.

Additional CENTCOM operations have focused on degrading Iran's ability to reconstitute its launch capabilities:

  • March 27, 2026: CENTCOM released footage showing strikes on bulldozers and heavy loaders assessed to be clearing debris from tunnel entrances leading to underground missile storage and launch facilities.
  • April 4, 2026: CENTCOM published images showing U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft loaded with BLU-91/B "Gator" anti-tank mine-dispensing cluster bombs designated for operations in Iran. These mines were subsequently identified on the ground in Iranian territory.
  • April 7, 2026: CENTCOM announced that "hundreds" of unmanned aerial platforms are now involved in Operation Epic Fury, including long-range kamikaze (loitering munition) drones employed in combat operations for the first time.

U.S. Leadership Statements

Speaking from CENTCOM headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that the U.S. military's "will is ironclad" and emphasized that American forces are not running low on munitions. The statement was interpreted as a signal both to adversaries and to domestic audiences that the U.S. is prepared for sustained operations.

Strategic Assessment

Israel's military has reported that more than 70 percent of Iran's ballistic missile launchers have been destroyed, and that the frequency and effectiveness of Iranian attacks are diminishing. However, the continued use of cluster munitions suggests that Iran is prioritizing maximum area-effect damage with its remaining launch capability — a tactic that raises significant humanitarian concerns even as its strategic missile force degrades.

The situation along the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint. The waterway is a chokepoint for roughly 20 percent of the world's petroleum supply, and strikes on Iranian coastal missile batteries are directly tied to freedom-of-navigation objectives.

Humanitarian and Legal Considerations

International humanitarian organizations have raised alarms about the long-term consequences of cluster munition use by all parties. Unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination in affected areas of Israel and Iran will require extensive clearance operations that could take years. Civilians returning to impacted areas face elevated risk from submunitions that failed to detonate on initial deployment.

The use of cluster munitions by both Iran and the United States in this conflict is likely to intensify international debate about the adequacy of existing arms control frameworks, particularly given that major military powers remain outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

What to Watch

  • Upcoming CENTCOM press briefings for updated battle damage assessments.
  • Congressional oversight hearings on the authorization and use of cluster munitions by U.S. forces.
  • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) statements regarding proximity of strikes to Iranian nuclear facilities.
  • Global shipping and energy market disruptions tied to Strait of Hormuz security.
  • Diplomatic channels — any signals of ceasefire negotiations or back-channel communications.

Disclaimer: This article is compiled from publicly available reporting, official CENTCOM releases, and open-source intelligence assessments. GovOneStop is an independent public information resource and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense or any government agency. Information in a developing conflict environment is subject to rapid change. Readers are encouraged to consult official government sources for the most current information.