From cluster missiles to the ‘doomsday’ bomber: remember the weapons used in the war in Iran

B-52 bomber operating in the 1960s US Air Force The world witnessed a true “parade” of modern and destructive weapons in the US and Israel’s war against Iran. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free Several countries were involved in the conflict, such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman — practically the entire region was impacted. In this scenario, different military technologies gained prominence on the battlefield. In this report you can see some of the main weapons used so far: GBU-72: the super bomb launched by the US B-52: the doomsday bomber Iran’s cluster missiles Shahed-136: the cheap and deadly Iranian drone What are cluster missiles, which Israel accuses Iran of using in the war GBU-72: the super bomb launched by the US Known as the “bunker bomb”, the GBU-72 weighs 2,300 kg and only explodes when it reaches the target. The US military used it to target underground installations housing Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles. This type of weaponry is designed to target highly reinforced structures, such as protected military installations and underground bunkers, capable of resisting conventional explosions. When launched, it penetrates the ground, being able to penetrate thick layers of concrete and reach underground locations before detonating. When exploding below the surface, this type of weapon tends to concentrate the impact on the target, reducing surrounding damage and increasing the capacity for destruction in depth. In addition to high lethality, the bomb is also more accurate as it uses a guidance kit known as Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), which basically converts unguided bombs into all-weather precision guided munitions using a GPS receiver. GBU-72, the super bomb launched by the USA Reproduction/Wikimedia Commons B-52: the doomsday bomber One of the last to enter the conflict and the least modern on the list, the B-52 bomber has the capacity to carry up to 32 tons of weapons, including bombs, mines and missiles, in addition to being able to carry nuclear warheads. The B-52 is a model manufactured by Boeing and can fly for more than 14 thousand kilometers without refueling. At least 744 units were produced, and the last one was delivered in October 1962. The model was designed to carry nuclear weapons and became an important asset of the United States during the Cold War, being seen as the “doomsday bomber”. The aircraft’s entry into the war indicated that Iran’s air defenses were already greatly weakened, as it is not as agile as fighters and is more vulnerable to anti-aircraft systems. See technical sheet of the United States Air Force B-52 bomber. Art team/g1 Iran’s fragmentation missiles Used by the Iranians in attacks on Israel, fragmentation munitions — also known as “cluster munition” — are weapons designed to open in the air and release several submunitions over an extensive territory. These small bombs mainly target wide areas and can simultaneously hit soldiers, vehicles and infrastructure. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, they were first used during World War II. When fired, many submunitions may not explode upon impact and remain active on the ground — acting like landmines, meaning they can injure or kill years after conflicts end. US announces the sending of cluster bombs, capable of great destruction, to Ukraine Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction Iranian cluster missile explodes over Israel on March 5, 2026 Dylan Martinez/Reuters Shahed-136: the cheap and deadly Iranian drone One of the first weapons to be used in this war, the Shahed-136 has established itself as one of Iran’s main assets because it is cheap and easy to produce — and can quickly reach targets such as data centers, energy infrastructure, airports and even naval bases. In two weeks of exchanges of attacks, more than a thousand aircraft of this type had already been launched by Iran. The strategy relies on volume, not precision: large swarms are fired simultaneously to saturate air defenses. Just 3.5 meters long, they can be launched from simple structures, assembled in a few hours. 👉 The price justifies the quantity: A Shahed drone costs between US$20,000 and US$50,000 (R$100,000 to R$261,000), according to the Center for Strategic International Studies. Firing a single air defense missile used by the US and allies to shoot down drones could cost between US$1.3 million and US$4 million (R$6.7 million to R$20.9 million). Calculations by Reuters show that the cost of just one Patriot defense missile would be enough to finance at least 115 Iranian attack drones. Discover the Shahed-136 drone, used by Iran to attack Israel. Art/g1

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