ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Amnesty International on Thursday condemned Iran for the use of “unlawful ballistic missile strikes” targeting residential areas in its 12-day war with Israel. “Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate weapons that must never be used. By using such weapons in or near populated residential areas, Iranian forces endangered civilian lives and demonstrated clear disregard for international humanitarian law,” Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, was cited in a statement by the rights organization as saying. She further emphasized that the use of the “inherently indiscriminate weapons” is considered “a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.” Such weapons could endanger civilians, especially children, due to the risk posed by unexploded submunitions, she stressed. The amnesty report noted that its findings are based on an analysis of recorded footage and media reports of the strikes around Tel Aviv on June 19, 20, and 22. Tensions between Israel and Iran skyrocketed on June 13, when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, killing a number of nuclear scientists and senior military commanders. In response, Tehran launched several waves of missile and drone attacks against Israeli targets. Washington on June 24 brokered a ceasefire to the war.
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