“In the month of Bahman (Jan 21-Feb 19) two missiles with a range of 1,900 km were fired from Semnan Province (in northern Iran) into the mouth of the Indian Ocean,” Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Aerospace Division said.
Iran usually tests its missiles in extensive deserts in the heart of the country, so the firing into the Indian Ocean is an unusual move, aimed to prove Tehran’s long-standing claims it can hit targets beyond its borders.
Television showed a missile being fired but the announcer did not specify if the pictures were of the Indian Ocean test-firing. No pictures were shown of a target being hit at sea.
The elite Guards wrapped up a 10-day military drill codenamed Great Prophet-6 last week, during which a number of ballistic missiles were fired.
The exercise was designed to deter Iran’s enemies by showing Iran is ready and able to hit back at US bases in the Middle East and at Israel.
“Iran’s missiles have a maximum range of 2,000 km and are designed to reach US targets in the region and the Zionist regime,” Hajizadeh said at the start of the military drills.
The Guards carry out such exercises every year, particularly in the Gulf region, and Tehran insists the man oeuvres are purely defensive.
Hajizadeh said US spy planes were operating in the area where the missiles hit. “It is interesting that they did not publicize it,” he said.
Source: Reuters; Gulf Times
