Iran said it used a new guided ballistic missile capable of evading advanced defense systems during overnight strikes on Israel, according to the state-run Fars news agency.
Tehran claims it launched the Haj Qasem missile, named after slain Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, in the latest round of attacks. Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq in 2020 during the first Trump administration.
Watch Iranian missile land in Bat Yam
Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh said on May 4 that the missile is designed to bypass missile defense systems such as the U.S.-made THAAD system, which is deployed in Israel, as well as Patriot batteries and other interception systems used by the Israeli military.
CNN reported that Iran unveiled the missile earlier this year, describing it as solid-fueled with a range of 1,200 kilometers (about 745 miles). The missile is equipped with a maneuverable warhead intended to penetrate air defenses.
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According to a report by Sky News Arabia, the missile measures 11 meters (36 feet) in length and is part of a new generation of Iran’s Fateh-110 class. It reportedly reenters the atmosphere at a speed of Mach 12 and strikes targets at Mach 5.
Iranian sources also claimed the missile’s ability to be launched from central Iran reduces its chances of detection before liftoff and complicates any defensive response. The missile weighs about seven tons and carries a 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) warhead.