Iran-Israel Conflict: Amid Escalating Tensions, Here's A Look At Tehran's Fire Power

Ballistic missiles are a significant component of Iran's arsenal and were deployed in its October 1 strike against Israel.

Israel retaliated on Saturday with airstrikes on Iranian military targets, cautioning Iran against responding to these attacks.

Photo Credit: Representative AI image generated by WISE

Meanwhile, an Iranian semi-official news agency pledged a "proportional reaction."

According to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Iran possesses the largest number of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, reported Reuters.

Here are some details:

In April, the semi-official Iranian news agency ISNA released a graphic highlighting nine missiles that could potentially reach Israel. These included the "Sejil," which can reach speeds exceeding 17,000 km (10,500 miles) per hour with a range of 2,500 km (1,550 miles); the "Kheibar," with a range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles); and the "Haj Qasem," boasting a range of 1,400 km (870 miles), according to ISNA.

The Washington-based Arms Control Association notes that Iran's ballistic missile range includes the "Shahab-1," capable of reaching 300 km (190 miles); the "Zolfaghar" with a range of 700 km (435 miles); the "Shahab-3" reaching 800-1,000 km (500 to 620 miles); the "Emad-1," a missile still in development with a potential range of up to 2,000 km (1,240 miles); and the "Sejil," also in development, which could cover 1,500-2,500 km (930 to 1,550 miles).

Fabian Hinz, a Berlin-based expert on Iran's missile arsenal with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, observed that based on launch videos and their distances from Israel, Iran appeared to use a mix of solid- and liquid-fuelled missiles on October 1.

Solid-propellant missiles, the more advanced type, are launched from angled mobile launchers, while liquid-propellant missiles are fired from vertical launchers, he explained. Hinz suggested that three solid-fuel missiles fired on October 1 could have been the Haj Qasem, Kheibar Shekan, and Fattah 1, while liquid-fuel missiles fired from the Iranian city of Isfahan could have included the Emad, Badr, and Khorramshahr.

Iran asserts that its ballistic missiles serve as a crucial deterrent and a retaliatory measure against the United States, Israel, and other regional threats. It denies any ambition to develop nuclear weapons.

A 2023 report by Behnam Ben Taleblu, a Senior Fellow at the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, states that Iran continues to expand its underground missile depots, equipped with transport and firing systems, along with subterranean missile production and storage centres. In June 2020, Iran conducted its first underground ballistic missile launch.

"Years of reverse-engineering missiles and producing various classes have taught Iran how to extend airframes and use lighter composite materials to enhance range," the report noted.

In June 2023, Iranian officials showcased the country's first domestically manufactured hypersonic ballistic missile, as reported by the official IRNA news agency. Hypersonic missiles can travel at speeds at least five times that of sound and on complex paths, making them challenging to intercept.

The Arms Control Association states that Iran's missile programme is heavily influenced by North Korean and Russian designs, with additional support from China.

Regional Attacks

In January 2024, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed missile strikes on what they described as an Israeli intelligence centre in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and on Islamic State fighters in Syria. Iran also reported missile strikes on two bases of a Baluchi militant group in neighbouring Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia and the United States accuse Iran of orchestrating a drone and missile strike on vital Saudi oil installations in 2019, though Tehran denies involvement.

In 2020, Iran targeted U.S.-led forces in Iraq, including the al-Asad air base, in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike on a senior Iranian commander.

Support for Yemen's Houthis

The United States alleges that Iran arms Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have recently attacked Red Sea vessels and Israel amid the Gaza conflict, claiming this support is part of a broader pro-Palestinian campaign. Iran denies supplying arms to the Houthis.

On 24 September, Reuters reported that Iran facilitated secret discussions between Russia and the Houthis for the potential transfer of anti-ship missiles, as confirmed by Western and regional sources.

In 2022, the Houthis claimed responsibility for ballistic missile and drone attacks on the UAE, including an attempt on a U.S. military base in the UAE, thwarted by U.S.-made Patriot missile interceptors.

Support for Hezbollah

Lebanon's Hezbollah, an Iran-backed paramilitary group, claims it can convert thousands of rockets into precision-guided missiles and produce drones locally. In 2023, Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on September 27, stated that Iranian experts had aided in upgrading the group's missiles.

Syria

Iran has supplied precision-guided missiles to support President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria, according to Western and Israeli intelligence officials.

Some missile production has reportedly moved to fortified underground sites in Syria, where Assad's forces and other pro-Iranian groups have developed capabilities to manufacture missiles independently, according to these sources.