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Syria
A large country in the Middle East experiencing civil war since 2011. During that time multiple nations have directly or indirectly supported differing sides, with airstrikes conducted by the United States, Russia, Turkey, Israel and others.
Collection
Iran-Israel conflict June 2025
Dozens of verified images of munitions used by Iran and Israel during the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict
Analyst Note:
This image shows the top of the booster of an Arrow 3 interceptor missile, where it connects to the kill vehicle. The Arrow 3 was jointly developed by the United States and Israel, and first entered service in 2017. The date of manufacture marking (“DATE OF MFG: 05/2018”) indicates that this booster was produced in the year after the Arrow 3 first entered service. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows the booster of an Israeli Arrow 3 interceptor missile. The Arrow 3 is designed to engage ballistic missiles and is capable of exo-atmospheric interceptions. Once the booster is expended, it separates from the ‘kill vehicle’. The kill vehicle has a sustainer motor that propels it towards the incoming ballistic missile, and uses kinetic impact, rather than an explosive warhead, to disable or destroy its target. This is sometimes called the ‘hit-to-kill’ principle. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows a improvised rocket-assisted munition (IRAM). This particular munition consists of a 107 mm rocket motor with an industrial gas cylinder fitted in place of the standard warhead. The frost present on the cylinder indicates a pressurised gas was released. The yellow–green residue is consistent with a payload of chlorine gas. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows one of the two improvised air-delivered munitions (IADMs) containing a chemical payload used in an attack by the Syrian Arab Air Force on 7 April 2018 in Douma, Syria. This image shows how the IADM comprises a cradle surrounding an industrial gas cylinder. These cradles typically incorporate fins, wheels, and lifting lugs. The fins and the wheels of the cradle can be seen in this image (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows a conventional 122 mm high explosive artillery projectile that has been modified to carry a chemical payload. It is one of several used in an attack by the so-called ‘Islamic State’ on the town of Marea, Syria. The black substance on the ground is suggestive of low-purity sulphur mustard, a chemical warfare agent. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows an impact crater, as well as remnants of the frame or ‘cradle’ (red box) that was fitted to the gas cylinder. Cradles associated with this type of Syrian Government chemical munition typically feature fins to help orient the cylinder as it falls, and features to assist with loading the cylinders into aircraft for deployment, such as wheels and lifting lugs. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows an industrial gas cylinder that was reportedly dropped by a helicopter over Kafr Zeita on 1 October 2016. The gas cylinder ruptured on impact with the ground, dispersing its payload of chlorine gas. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
The source for this entry reports that these remnants were left behind after the missiles were “recycled“. Explosive remnants of war (ERW) are often recycled for the value of their scrap metal, or ‘harvested’ by militant groups for the explosive material. These recycling attempts may result in the ERW exploding, potentially killing or injuring people. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows an Iranian M344 106 mm recoilless gun projectile. The M344 is a high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) munition, containing a shaped charge that is designed to penetrate armour. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows the fuzewell in the base of the warhead of a GBU-39 air-delivered bomb. The innermost cylinder is the electronic fuze; this is held in place by the closure ring. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows the pneumatic accumulator, or ‘accumulator bottle’, of the AGM-114R9X missile. The accumulator bottle stores gas that is used to actuate the fins, adjusting the trajectory of the missile in flight. All AGM-114 Hellfire-series missiles have an accumulator bottle. The accumulator bottle is a fragment that often survives intact, even in Hellfire missile variants that carry an explosive payload. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
Contextual images of the damage caused by this munition indicate the remnant pictured is from the AGM-114R9X variant of the Hellfire missile, a kinetic munition which does not carry an explosive warhead. This remnant cannot be differentiated from the JAGM-179 or other AGM-114 variants based off this image alone. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
The visible component is part of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit, an accessory package that is fitted to unguided air-delivered bombs to convert them to precision guided munitions. Specifically, this image shows a control fin from the tail assembly. Whilst the JDAM kit would not constitute a munition in its own right, this remnant is included in the OSMP as contextual information strongly suggests it formed part of a complete munition that functioned. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
Little is known with certainty about the AGM-114-R9X variant of the Hellfire missile, although it has been associated with high-profile targeted killings including those of senior al-Qaeda figures. The weapon functions as a kinetic-impact munition, using pop-out blades—rather than an explosive warhead—to reduce the prospects of collateral harm. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image depicts either a 9M27K or 9M27K1 cargo rocket (cluster munition). The 9M27K carries the 9N210 high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) submunition, whilst the 9M27K1 carries the 9N235 HE-FRAG submunition (ARES).
Analyst Note:
Contextual information suggests that this is likely a 9M22S unguided incendiary rocket (see External Research section), but this cannot be confirmed on the basis of this image alone. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
The M-54 ‘high-drag’ series of Soviet/Russian air-delivered bombs can be distinguished by two key identification features: 1.) the ballistic ring located in the forward portion of the bomb (missing in this example); and 2.) the presence of two or four rectangular, longitudinal ‘levelling bars’ (two can be seen in this example). (ARES)
Analyst Note:
Russian air-delivered cluster bombs, such as this one, are often named using a designation that is a compound of the names of the cargo (carrier) bomb and the submunition it carries. For example, this RBK-500 unguided, air-delivered cluster bomb carries 268 PTAB-1M HEAT submunitions, and is thus designated the 'RBK-500 PTAB-1M'. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
The 57E6 series of missiles fired from the 96K6 Pantsir system use a two-stage design that is unusual for surface-to-air missiles of this type. The remnant seen in this image is part of the missile’s booster section, which accelerates the second stage to a high velocity before separating. The booster section uses a distinctive toffee-brown, filament-wound composite body. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
Cargo rockets often use an internal frame to manage the correct carriage and expulsion of submunitions. These internal frames frequently survive largely intact after the munition has functioned, and may be diagnostic in identifying a munition by type, series, or model. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
Although this munition started out life as a mortar projectile of the M492-pattern, it has been modified to be dropped from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and, in its present state, could not be fired from a conventional mortar. As such, it is correctly classified here as an air-delivered bomb. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
The fin assembly in the image bears a strong resemblance to those of other munitions employed in the same incident that have been identified as M49A2 mortar projectiles modified to be delivered by UAV. (ARES)
