The attack reportedly relied heavily on Shahed-136 drones and several types of advanced long-range missiles
A handout picture provided by Iran’s Defence Ministry on May 25, 2023, shows the testing of the fourth generation Khorramshahr ballistic missile. © IRANIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY / AFP
Iran used kamikaze drones and several types of long-range ballistic missiles to launch a wave of strikes on Israel over the weekend, local media have reported.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Tehran’s powerful attack on Israel involved 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. The strikes came in retaliation for what Iran claims was an Israeli strike on Tehran’s consulate in Damascus, Syria, early this month that left several senior Iranian military officers dead.
While the Iranian military provided few details about what weapons were used in the attack, local media suggested that it employed many of its advanced systems to target its arch-enemy.
According to Press TV, the drone and missile raid was preceded by cyberattacks on Israel’s radar and power grid systems, causing outages.
The outlet, along with Mehr News agency, said that the air attack involved dozens Shahed-136 kamikaze drones. The aircraft, which has also been characterized as a loitering munition, has delta-shaped wings and is difficult for radars to detect due to its low signature. It has a range of 2,000km and can carry a payload of up to 50kg.
The drone swarms were apparently followed by several types of missiles. Press TV reported that Iran likely used an unknown number of Kheibar Shekan medium-range ballistic missiles with a payload of half a ton.
Iranian missile Kheibar Shekan © AFP
There have also been reports that Tehran launched several Fattah hypersonic missiles, one of its most advanced systems, which have a range of up to 1,400km and have a claimed ability to evade air defenses due to their high speed and maneuverability.
Fattah-2 hypersonic missile. © Press TV / Telegram
Mehr has also suggested that Iran used Khorramshahr-4 missiles with a range of 2,000km and a payload of 1,500kg. Meanwhile, Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iran’s military at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Berlin, argued that the strike also included Paveh 351 cruise missiles with a range of 1,650km.
The New York Times reported the weapons used by Iran in the attack were much faster and more precise than those used by the Palestinian armed movement Hamas, which often relies on inaccurate missiles made of inferior materials.
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However, Iran and Israel disagreed sharply on the results of the strike. While Iranian officials have said that the attack was even more successful than expected, claiming to have destroyed two Israeli bases, West Jerusalem insists that 99% of incoming targets were shot down.
