In recent days, the world's attention has turned to Iran and Israel and the military capabilities of both countries amid mutual threats following the Israeli targeting of the Iranian consulate in Damascus and Tehran's vow of retaliation.
While Israel possesses numerous advanced air defenses, Iran has developed a range of ballistic missiles and drones in recent years, raising concerns in the West, as missiles constitute a significant part of its arsenal. The semi-official Iranian news agency "ISNA" published a graphic this week showing nine Iranian missiles that it claimed "can reach Israel." Among these missiles is the "Sijil," which can fly at speeds exceeding 17,000 kilometers (10,500 miles) per hour with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), and the "Khaybar," which has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). The agency also noted that the "Haj Qasim" missile, which has a range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), is named after the commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad four years ago.
**Advanced Drone**
Iran, a major producer of drones, announced in August that it has developed an advanced domestically-made drone called Mohajer-10, which has an operational range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) and can fly for up to 24 hours with a payload of up to 300 kg (660 pounds).
**Shahab Missiles**
The Arms Control Association clarified that Iranian short- and medium-range ballistic missiles include the Shahab-1, which has an estimated range of 300 kilometers (190 miles), the Zulfiqar with a range of 700 kilometers (435 miles), the Shahab 3 with a range of 800-1,000 kilometers (500 to 620 miles), and the Emad-1, a developing missile with a range reaching up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), as well as the Sijil, also under development with a range of 1,500-2,500 kilometers (930 to 1,550 miles).
**Cruise Missiles**
Tehran also possesses cruise missiles like the Kh-55, a nuclear-capable air-launched weapon with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles), and the advanced anti-ship missile Khaled Faraz, which has a range of approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles), capable of carrying a warhead weighing 1,000 kg (1.1 tons).
**Hypersonic**
Notably, Iran introduced what officials described in June as its first domestically-made hypersonic ballistic missile. Hypersonic missiles can travel at least five times the speed of sound along a complex trajectory, making them difficult to intercept.
