Iran's advanced armament leaves Hamas's rocket system in the dust

• Published date: 17 April 2024
• Author: UDI ETZION/WALLA!
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Although Israel has been successfully intercepting rockets launched from Gaza since the Iron Dome's conception in 2011, and the Rafael system has recorded thousands of successful interceptions, the attack in the early hours of last Sunday was on a scale that no country has faced to date, and with Iranian missiles, some of which were used operationally for the first time

"This was the first time that precision Iranian missiles were us against Israel in an operation, in the largest ballistic and cruise missile attack ever recorded," says Tal Inbar, an expert on the Iranian missile program. "Not even the Russian missile barrage against Ukraine reached these dimensions. By intercepting the missiles through cooperation with foreign countries, we saw the implementation of capabilities and joint operational language developed in the Iron Shield Operation conducted by Israel and the US, with a most impressive success."

Alongside the rocket barrages launched by Hamas from Lebanon and intercepted by Iron Dome, Iran used three types of advanced missiles it developed.

Types of missiles Iran used for the attack

The Shahed 238 is a canister version of the Shahed 136 that Iran sold to Russia and has been used for targeting Ukraine. The 238 is equipped with a small canister engine that allows it to cruise at twice the speed, close to 600 km/h, instead of about 180 km/h for rocket-propelled missiles. According to reports, Iran launched around 170-180 such cruise missiles towards Israel.

The higher speed reduces the time available for the targeted force to intercept it and for fighter jets to reach it. However, when the fighter jet is already close, interception becomes easier because the canister engine generates more heat, which makes it easier for air-to-air missiles to locate and hit it, which is what happened when these devices were intercepted outside Israel's borders by Israeli, American, British, French, and Jordanian fighter jets in one of their first operational actions.

Its warhead weighs approximately 40 kg, slightly less than Hamas's long-range rocket, the R160. The Shahed is more precise in hitting its target, although GPS disruptions can affect its accuracy.

Paveh 351 is a long-range jet cruise missile, heavier and faster than the Shahed 238 that Iran unveiled just last year. The Hapawa reaches a range of about 1,650 km and...