West Asia conflict | Short and medium-range missiles key to Iran’s response

Iran has been using a battery of short and medium-range missiles to retaliate against Israel and the US bases in the Gulf.

Its elite Revolutionary Guards have also specifically targeted high-profile and upmarket enclaves of US allies in West Asia, such as five-star resorts, international airports in Dubai, and upscale residential enclaves in Bahrain.

Unlike the 12-day conflict last year that saw Iran use a restrained retaliation against strikes at its nuclear installations, this time, though, after the killing of its supreme leader, Ayatullah Ali Khameini, Iran has fired a whole gamut of short to medium-range projectiles.

Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles can strike targets between 150 and 800 km. These are considered to be variants of the Fateh series of ballistic missiles, like Shahab and Zolfaghar, that can be launched in a volley.

Iran is said to have used these projectiles to target an Iraqi air base in 2020 after a US drone strike killed its high-profile General Qassem Soleimani.

Iran’s medium-range arsenal has a striking range of 1,500 to 2,000 km. Of these, Sejjil, which operates on solid fuel, offers quick launch and mobility to evade incoming missiles. This medium-range missile has been used by Iran to target Israel and other US allies in the Gulf in response to Operation Epic Fury. Iran is said to have also deployed cruise missiles and drones that fly low past the air defence systems. The series includes anti-ship missiles like Soumar, which has a range of 2,500 km.

Amidst protracted confrontation with the US and its allies, Iran has created an underground network to store and conceal its missiles aimed at surviving the first wave of attacks and minimising depletion of its firepower.

Iran has also been using ideologically aligned militia to target US and Israeli assets. Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthis have been used in the past to expand the theatre of war.