Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) used its long-range, two-stage Sejjil missiles in a recent round of missile strikes targeting Israel, according to Iran’s media.
Newsweek has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.
Why It Matters
The use of heavier rockets marks a further escalation in the conflict. Iran has fired barrages of missiles at Israel, dozens of which have breached Israel’s multi-layered defense system, causing damage to infrastructure and civilian casualties.
The attacks, in retaliation for Israel’s strikes on Iran’s military establishment and nuclear program, have alarmed Israel and the United States, with President Donald Trump holding out the possibility direct military action against Iran.
Leo Correa/AP Photo
What To Know
“The twelfth wave of Operation True Promise III began with the firing of ultra-heavy, long-range, two-stage Sejjil missiles,” the IRGC said in statement reported by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
The solid-propellant, medium-range domestically developed ballistic missile can deliver a payload of around 700 kg to its 2,000 km range, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank. Iran has also said it fired its Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles, which can travel at more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver mid-flight.
Despite Iran’s announcement of using heavier rockets, the number of rocket alerts in Israel has dropped from its peak on June 15, according to data from Rocketalert.live.
Rocket Alerts
Although it did not specify in which attack the new missile was used, Iran said it conducted a precise missile strike on Mossad headquarters in Tel Aviv, a claim that has not been verified. However, the major Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva, and the Weizmann Institute of Science, a leading Israeli research institution were among targets struck by Iran.
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it launched a new wave of overnight strikes using 40 fighter jets on dozens of Iranian military facilities in Tehran and other areas of Iran, including the Arak heavy water reactor, “a key component in plutonium production,” the military said, according to The Times of Israel. Iran’s main Natanz nuclear facility was also reportedly targeted.
What People Are Saying
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in statement, according to Mehr News Agency: “Be sure that the sound of alarm sirens would not turn off for even a second. The Zionists now have to choose between gradual death in shelters and fleeing occupied territories as soon as possible.”
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog: “A baby in intensive care. A mother by their bedside. A doctor rushing between beds. An elderly resident in a nursing home. These were some of the targets of Iran’s missile attacks on Israeli civilians this morning.”
What Happens Next
Iran is concerned about a potential U.S. strike as the military is deploying more forces in the Middle East. In the meantime, Iran looks set to continue its rocket attacks on Israel as Israeli forces strike targets in Iran.