Iran's latest strikes underline IRGC's ability to hit 'Israel'
3 Min Read
Reports published by Bloomberg highlight the latest Iranian strike on ISIS headquarters in Syria, which proven the IRGC's capability to strike 'Israel'.
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Fattah-1, Iran's first-ever hypersonic missile, is placed next to Iranian surface-to-surface missiles, including the Kheibar-Shekan missile (C-L) at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) National Aerospace Park in western Tehran, Iran, on October 11, 2023 (Nur Agency)
The latest retaliatory attacks launched by the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) on multiple targets and enemies across the region have drawn the attention of Western media outlets, including Bloomberg.
"Iran has announced to the world – and specifically to Israel – that it’s willing to enter the fray itself when pushed," the US-based media outlet highlighted in one of its reports.
Although the attacks on Mossad headquarters and agents in Iraqi Kurdistan garnered great attention, the missile attack on Idlib in Syria, targeting ISIS, has emphatically pinpointed the effectiveness of Iranian-produced ballistic missiles. The distance to the terror headquarters, located approximately 1,200 km away from the launch site in southwestern Iran, explicitly corresponds to the distance between the launch site and "Tel Aviv".
Bloomberg said that the Iranian missile attacks "showcased a new part of the Islamic Republic's long-range arsenal for the first time with a weapon potentially capable of hitting Israel directly."
It's no secret that the Israeli Mossad has been present and active in the self-governing region of #Kurdistan for decades.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 16, 2024
This presence inside #Iraq, and so close to #Iran, poses a grave danger not just for both countries, but for the entire region as well. pic.twitter.com/dV3Riug8DR
Read more: Israeli media: Iranian ballistic missile crosses 1,200 km in first
Kheibar-Shekan
The weapon in question is the Kheibar-Shekan, a precise-guided ballistic missile, that can reportedly be maneuvered during the re-entry phase. Several missiles were used in what marked the IRGC's longest-range missile attack.
Specifications, including its ability to maneuver during re-entry or the final stage, are what award the Kheibar-Shekan missile the ability to evade air defense systems, accurately hitting ground targets.
"It’s probably the most sophisticated missile they have with the range to strike Israel," Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, told Bloomberg.
Hinz's remarks shed light on the strides that the Iranian missile program has taken forward in recent years, however, the expert failed to take note of several other missiles including the Fattah family of missiles. The Fattah 1 and Fattah 2 missiles both garner hypersonic capabilities, are more highly maneuverable, and have bypassed the 1,400 km range.
#Iran recently unveiled its first hypersonic ballistic missile, named Fattah, which is capable of bypassing advanced air defense systems.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 6, 2023
Here's what you need to know about the highly-developed missile. pic.twitter.com/8IF1tKyYtW
A direct message to 'Israel'
According to Bloomberg Iran has over 3,000 ballistic missiles of different types and ranges including "some" that could reach occupied Palestine.
Hinz also shed light on the fact that Iran has produced a wide range of ballistic missiles, which could have been deployed in the attack on ISIS headquarters in Syria.
The analyst believes that selecting the long-range Kheibar-Shekan missiles was meant to either test out the new technology or "explicitly chosen to send a message to Israel."
Read more: What Are Hypersonic Missiles?
