Israel Responds To Iranian Claim Of Achieving Hypersonic Missiles
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has responded to reports that Iran has achieved an 'invincible' weapon, namely Tehran's first hypersonic missile, called the 'Fattah'. He stressed that Israel can stop any threat coming from Iran, and that the Israeli military will always retain the technology edge.
"I hear our enemies boasting about weapons they are developing. To any such development, we have an even better response – whether it be on land, in the air, or in the maritime arena, including both defensive and offensive means," Gallant told journalists at a northern military base on Tuesday.
"We will know how to protect the citizens of Israel, and how to strike our enemies with a crushing blow if, God forbid, they start a war against us," he said in a video statement.
Iran on Tuesday claimed it has joined the club of those very few nations which have hypersonic weapons in their arsenal. Currently, it's believed only Russia, China, and the United States possess them.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attended the unveiling ceremony, wherein he touted "Today we feel that the deterrent power has been formed." He said: "This power is an anchor of lasting security and peace for the regional countries."
While much of the world has been focused on the crisis of the war in Ukraine, Israel has been raising the alarm over what it says is a steadily advancing Iranian nuclear program. Israel has even been running emergency preparedness drills simulating major attack by Iran and its regional allies like Hezbollah.
According to The Times of Israel:
On Sunday night, the high-level security cabinet convened at the military’s main operational command bunker in Tel Aviv to simulate political decision-making during a potential multifront war.
While the drill and the cabinet meeting were pre-planned, they came during escalated tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and Israeli warnings that a broad conflict could break out over the issue.
Both sides are meanwhile presenting their 'readiness' actions as defensive in nature.
New banner in Tehran showcasing the Fattah, which #Iran claims is a hypersonic missile, reading "400 seconds to Tel Aviv." pic.twitter.com/WeJeWFylG5
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) June 7, 2023
Revolutionary Guard aerospace program commander Gen. Amir-Ali Hajizadeh said Tuesday that the Fattah hypersonic missiles possesses a range of up to 870 miles and that "there exists no system that can rival or counter this missile" - as it can also reach speeds of up to Mach 15, according to Iran's claims.
However, there's yet to be independent confirmation that Iran has actually achieved a hypersonic weapon that its ready to be deployed. But there is consensus that the Islamic Republic's ballistic missiles program has long been sophisticated and advanced.
