Iranian media reported Sunday morning that the Islamic Republic deployed its advanced Haj Qasem ballistic missiles in the latest barrage targeting Israel.
The launch was framed as part of Tehran's response to a recent US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran possesses a wide range of ballistic missiles, some developed jointly by the Iranian Armed Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In recent years, Tehran has prioritized its missile program as the cornerstone of its strategic arsenal, diverting resources away from upgrading its air force and air defense systems.
Iran's missile program accelerates
The Israeli strike on Iran reportedly followed intelligence that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had ordered a significant acceleration of Iran's national missile program. This decision, made in the wake of the degradation of Hamas and Hezbollah's capabilities, aimed to increase Iran's missile stockpile from approximately 3,000 to 8,000.
According to Israeli defense sources, the purpose of the buildup is to enable Iran to launch mass missile barrages that would overwhelm Israel's Arrow and other missile defense systems.
Since the outbreak of hostilities with Iran on June 13, approximately 500 ballistic missiles have been launched at Israel, most of which have been intercepted.
Hypersonic missiles: Threat or bluster?
Iran frequently threatens to deploy hypersonic missiles in an effort to spread fear. However, to date, Tehran has not demonstrated operational capability in this field.
"Hypersonic" refers to projectiles traveling at speeds exceeding 5,000 kilometers an hour - a velocity that nearly all ballistic missiles already reach. The term is typically reserved for missiles capable of extreme speeds and sharp, unpredictable maneuvers, which make interception far more difficult.
Such maneuverable missiles pose a unique challenge to systems like Israel's Arrow or the American THAAD battery deployed in the region. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, which follow a predetermined path, maneuverable warheads can adjust course mid-flight, complicating tracking and interception.
Though Iran has displayed such missiles during military parades and has labeled certain existing missiles as hypersonic, it has yet to demonstrate genuine capability. For now, practical hypersonic missile technology remains the domain of the United States, Russia, and China.
Key Iranian missiles targeting Israel
The Haj Qassem missile is an advanced missile, unveiled in 2020, reportedly reaching speeds of 12,000 kilometers per hour with a range of 1,400 kilometers and carrying a 500 kilogram warhead. It is named after Qassem Soleimani, the late commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, who was killed in a US airstrike.
Introduced in 2024, the Emad missile is most notable for its maneuverable warhead, which allows it to alter trajectory after reentering the atmosphere. This feature is designed to deceive radar systems and interceptor missiles. It has a range of 1,700 kilometers and uses liquid fuel, requiring complex pre-launch procedures but offering high energy efficiency. Its warhead weighs approximately 750 kilograms.
Unveiled in 2022, the Kheibar Shekan missile is named after the 7th-century Battle of Khaybar. It has a range of 1,500 kilometers and was Iran's first solid-fuel missile, allowing for quicker launch times and greater operational readiness. The warhead is estimated at 500 kilograms.
The heaviest and fastest missile in Iran's arsenal, based on North Korea's Hwasong-10, the Khorramshahr has a range of 2,000 kilometers and carries a massive 1,500 kilogram warhead. Its penetration speed reaches 14,000 kilometers per hour. A variant includes a cluster warhead with submunitions designed for widespread damage. One such missile reportedly struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba last week.