A handout picture from Iran’s Defense Ministry shows a 4th generation Khorramshahr ballistic missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Iran, May 25, 2023 (handout via AFP)
Fourth generation of Khorramshahr ballistic missile, dubbed Kheibar, can carry a 1,500 kilogram warhead, Tehran’s defense minister claims
Iran unveiled a new version of a ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), enough to hit areas of Israel.
The Kheibar missile — the latest version of the Khorramshahr, which is Iran’s longest-range missile to date — was unveiled Thursday alongside a replica of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, in a live broadcast on state television.
Iran said the missile had been successfully test-launched, with State TV broadcasting a few seconds of footage of what it said was the launch.
The announcement of the missile came days after Israel’s IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and other top military officials warned of a possible war with Iran over its nuclear program.
Iran’s defense minister, Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani, said the missile was unveiled as part of moves to “provide comprehensive support to our friends and countries that are on the path of fighting against the domination system.”
“Our message to Iran’s enemies is that we will defend the country and its achievements,” Ashtiani said, Reuters reported citing Iran’s state news agency IRNA. “Our message to our friends is that we want to help regional stability.”
IRNA said the Kheibar is “a liquid fuel missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers and a 1,500-kilogram warhead.”
Its name references the ancient town of Khaybar — located in modern-day Saudi Arabia — known for a decisive 7th-century battle in which the army of Prophet Muhammad defeated its thousands of Jewish residents.
According to state media, the speed of the high-mobility tactical missile “can reach Mach 16 outside the atmosphere and Mach 8 inside the atmosphere.”
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By: Miss Cherry May Timbol –Independent Reporter
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