Who were the first to create tools or weapons with iron?

The Hittites, an ancient civilization in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), are often credited with being among the first to smelt iron and create tools and weapons from it around 1500 BCE. They developed advanced techniques for ironworking, which contributed to their military power. This knowledge eventually spread to other cultures, leading to the broader Iron Age, where iron became the dominant material for tools and weapons across various civilizations.