Iran Deploys New Ballistic Missile with Cluster Warhead Against US Aircraft Carrier

Iran has employed a new ballistic missile equipped with a cluster warhead in an attack targeting the USS George Washington aircraft carrier on September 5. This marks the first time Iran has used such a weapon against a U.S. vessel, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The missile, identified by Iranian media as the Qassem Basir, is a relatively new solid-fuel, medium-range development with a 1200-kilometer range. Its key feature is a maneuvering warhead designed to alter its trajectory mid-flight, making it more difficult for air defense systems to intercept. The Telegraph reports the missile also possesses an electro-optical guidance system capable of tracking moving targets.

Iranian Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei confirmed the use of a cluster warhead, stating it passed near the ship without direct impact. Cluster munitions disperse numerous smaller submunitions over a wide area, aiming to inflict maximum damage even without a precise hit. This incident follows a similar use of cluster warheads by Iran on September 8 against the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. ISW analysts suggest Iran's shift to cluster weapons against U.S. targets indicates an intention to increase casualties and inflict greater political damage on Washington.

Iran has previously used cluster warheads in the region, notably in March and April 2026 against Israeli residential areas. Analysts believe this tactic is employed because Iran's standard ballistic missiles lack high precision, and cluster warheads compensate by covering a larger area and enhancing destructive effect. Earlier, Mohsen Rezaei had warned that U.S. ships in the Indian Ocean would be targeted if the conflict resumed and the fleet did not leave the region.