Tehran Alleges U.S. Deployed Scatterable Mines Near Underground Missile Facilities

Iranian state media outlet Tasnim reported on Thursday that the United States military dropped anti-tank landmines in the vicinity of a strategic underground missile base near the village of Kafari, located in the southern suburbs of Shiraz. The report claims these munitions, which resemble common food canisters, have resulted in multiple civilian casualties. Images circulated by the agency appear to depict BLU-91/B scatterable anti-tank mines. Open-source intelligence collective Bellingcat has geolocated the devices to the outskirts of the Shiraz South Missile Base, noting that the United States is the primary operator of such weaponry in the region.

The deployment of area-denial munitions would align with ongoing military efforts to neutralize Iran’s persistent missile threat. Despite extensive aerial bombardment campaigns targeting underground facilities and mobile launch sites, Iranian forces continue to conduct strikes across the Middle East. By mining the entrances to these "missile cities," military forces could effectively prevent the movement of heavy equipment needed to clear debris and restore operational access to the sites. While U.S. Central Command has declined to comment on the specific use of these mines, the tactical advantage of restricting movement around these hardened facilities remains clear. Questions regarding the origin of the devices persist, as some analysts suggest the possibility of staged propaganda, though the specific hardware identified is not known to be in the possession of other regional actors.