Munitions

M48 mortar projectile

Also known as
  • M48 HE mortar bomb (Iran)
  • 120 mm M48 HE mortar bomb
  • M48 120 mm mortar bomb
  • M48 smoke mortar bomb (Iran)

The Iranian M48 is a 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb for standard-pressure mortar systems. METIS describes the round as a steel-bodied, nose-fuzed, fin-stabilized copy of the Israeli M48 design, while a DIO catalog lists HM-16 range figures with the M48 bomb and Gaza reporting ties M48 HE bombs to Iran-made HM-16 mortars used by Palestinian armed groups.

M48 mortar projectile, 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb, Munitions
Image source: Wikimedia Commons mortar ready image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Iran; derived from the Israeli M48 120 mm mortar-bomb design
Built in
Iran
Type
120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb
Service note
Modern
Designer
Iranian defense industry
Designed
Not publicly listed; Iranian copy of the Israeli M48 design
Unit cost
Not publicly listed
Produced
Not publicly listed
Number built
Not publicly listed

Specifications

Caliber
120 mm
Warhead
High-explosive fragmentation
Fuze
Percussion-primed nose fuze
Stabilization
Fin-stabilized
Body
Steel-bodied
Range class
Standard-range, standard-pressure
Documented launcher context
DIO HM-16 120 mm standard mortar launcher range listed as 550 m to 6,600 m with M48 mortar bomb
Design lineage
Iranian copy of the Israeli M48 120 mm mortar-bomb design
Reported METIS locations
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Nigeria, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Chad, and Yemen
Variants

METIS lists Iranian M48 HE and M48 smoke mortar-bomb variants; the HE entry identifies the Iranian round as a copy of the Israeli M48 design.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
120 mm M48 HE Mortar Bomb (Iran)High-explosive fragmentation round

METIS and CAT-UXO identify the HE model as a fin-stabilized, nose-fuzed 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb.

Sources: METIS 120 mm M48 HE Mortar Bomb, CAT-UXO 120mm M48 Mortar Bomb (HE) (Iran)

120 mm M48 Smoke Mortar Bomb (Iran)Smoke mortar bomb

The METIS mortar-bomb index lists an Iranian M48 smoke mortar bomb alongside the HE entry.

Sources: METIS mortar-bomb index

Firing Weapons

The M48 is documented as a 120 mm mortar bomb for standard-pressure mortar systems, with the DIO HM-16 giving a specific Iranian launcher context.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
120 mm mortar, Heavy mortar, Artillery120 mm mortar120 mm heavy mortar class

DIO's HM-16 catalog lists a 120 mm standard mortar launcher with M48 mortar-bomb range data, while Gaza event reporting documents M48 HE bombs fired from Iran-made DIO HM-16 mortars.

Sources: DIO Armament Industries Group catalog, METIS Netzarim Axis M48 mortar event

Designation and Firing Context

The useful distinction on this page is between the Iranian M48 bomb family and the launcher context documented for Gaza. METIS gives the munition lineage and variant listing, while the DIO catalog and Gaza event reporting connect the M48 bomb to the HM-16 120 mm mortar.

ItemDocumented contextWhy it matters
Iranian M48 HE mortar bombSteel-bodied, nose-fuzed, fin-stabilized HE-fragmentation 120 mm mortar bomb.Defines the primary munition covered by this record.
Iranian M48 smoke mortar bombListed by METIS as a parallel Iranian M48 mortar-bomb variant.Shows that the M48 designation is used for more than the HE round.
DIO HM-16 120 mm mortarDIO catalog data lists minimum and maximum range figures with the M48 bomb, and Gaza event reporting identifies HM-16 mortars firing M48 HE bombs.Gives the M48 page a source-backed firing-system context without turning a generic 120 mm mortar class into a specific HM-16 record.
Timeline

M48 mortar projectile Key Events

  1. Jabalia mortar use reported

    War Noir reported Al-Qassam Brigades use of Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortars with M48 HE mortar bombs against IDF troops in Jabalia.

    Sources: War Noir Hamas mortar attack

  2. Netzarim Axis attack reported

    METIS reported that Al-Quds Brigades used an Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortar with M48 HE mortar bombs during an attack on an IDF logistical supply site in the Netzarim Axis area of Gaza.

    Sources: METIS Netzarim Axis M48 mortar event

Media

M48 mortar projectile Images

M48 mortar projectile, 120 mm high-explosive fragmentation mortar bomb, Munitions - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons Francop cargo image
Related Weapon Systems
Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 120mmHeavy mortar ammunition120 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized heavy mortar projectiles for compatible 120 mm mortar launchers, covering high-explosive, smoke, illumination, training, extended-range, and guided families. Published examples vary sharply by manufacturer and launcher qualification: conventional HE rounds commonly list 13-16 kg class masses, product-specific explosive fillings, point-detonating or proximity fuzes, and range limits tied to barrel length, pressure limits, smoothbore qualification, or turreted-system requirements. In the Boko Haram insurgency, Nigerian Army reporting documented recovered 120 mm mortar bombs as insurgent materiel rather than confirmed firing use.
Mortar bombs, 82 mm, 82 mm high-explosive mortar bomb, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 82 mm82 mm high-explosive mortar bombThis entry covers the 82 mm mortar-bomb caliber class rather than a single factory model. Sources document the class in insurgent and paramilitary materiel from Boko Haram-linked forces in the Lake Chad Basin, Islamic State stocks in Syria and Iraq, and RSF-associated PP87 mortar ammunition in Sudan, while manufacturer and ordnance references show that model-specific weight, filling, fuze, and range figures vary across O-832, PP87, HE, smoke, illumination, and extended-range families.
Mortar bombs, 81mm, 81 mm mortar bomb, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 81mm81 mm mortar bomb81 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized ammunition families made by many arsenals and defense manufacturers for medium mortars, with high-explosive, smoke, illumination, infrared-illumination, and training variants. Documented conflict use in this catalog includes Boko Haram improvised explosive devices made from captured mortar bombs, U.S. transfers of 81 mm mortar rounds to Ukraine, and Myanmar Civil War reporting of both SAC mortar fire and resistance drone drops.

Sources

METIS 120 mm M48 HE Mortar BombPublisher: Fenix Insight | Note: Supports the M48's Iranian origin, steel-bodied, nose-fuzed, fin-stabilised 120 mm HE-FRAG mortar-bomb description, and lineage as a copy of the Israeli M48 design. | Accessed: 2026-07-01CAT-UXO 120mm M48 Mortar Bomb (HE) (Iran)Publisher: CAT-UXO | Note: Supports the M48's Iranian HE-frag mortar-bomb description, percussion priming, fin stabilization, and mortar family details. | Accessed: 2026-07-01METIS mortar-bomb indexPublisher: Fenix Insight | Note: Supports the visible METIS listing of Iranian 120 mm M48 HE and M48 Smoke mortar-bomb variants and reported country locations for the HE listing. | Accessed: 2026-07-01DIO Armament Industries Group catalogPublisher: Defense Industries Organization | Note: Supports the DIO HM-16 120 mm standard mortar launcher description and its listed 550 m to 6,600 m range with the M48 mortar bomb. | Accessed: 2026-07-01War Noir Hamas mortar attackPublisher: War Noir | Note: In the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas) used Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortars with M48 HE mortar bombs against IDF troops in Jabalia. | Accessed: 2026-07-01METIS Netzarim Axis M48 mortar eventPublisher: Fenix Insight | Note: In the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, METIS reports that Al-Quds Brigades used an Iran-made 120 mm DIO HM-16 mortar with M48 HE mortar bombs in a 12 December 2024 attack on an IDF logistical supply site in Gaza's Netzarim Axis area. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons mortar ready imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing for the primary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons Francop cargo imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY 2.0 licensing for the secondary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01