Iran fires over dozen ballistic missiles during annual drills in warning to Israel

As a part of an annual drill, the Paramilitary Revolutionary Guard of Iran on Friday fired more than a dozen surface-to-surface ballistic missiles aimed at Israel. At least 16 missiles were fired during the ongoing major military exercise across the southern part of the country, with one "successfully" hitting a "target," Iran's state media IRNA news agency reported, quoting the Guard. During the second day of its drill, Iran also launched cruise missiles showing "readiness of its forces."

According to the Guard, the missiles named Emad, Ghadr, Sejjil, Zalzal, Dezful and Zolfaghar were a part of the five-day annual exercise 'Payambar-e-Azam' that kicked off on Monday. This came days after Vienna talks to revive Tehran's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) broke. As discussions are still underway to reach a resolution over Iran's compliance to the nuclear deal, the nuclear-power-holding nation has continued to hold military exercises aimed at displaying the strength of its forces and testing new weapons, the Associated Press reported.

Missiles are response to 'massive but pointless threats by Israel': Iran Chief of Armed Forces

As per the Associated Press, Iran state media showed the launch of the modified warfare weaponry. The short-range and medium-range missiles, as Iran said, can reach US bases in the region as well as its arch-enemy Israel. The aforementioned missiles have a range from 350 to 2000 kilometres.

"Sixteen missiles aimed and annihilated the chosen target. In this exercise, part of the hundreds of Iranian missiles capable of destroying a country that dared to attack Iran. These exercises were designed to respond to the massive but pointless threats made in recent days by the Zionist regime...make the slightest mistake, we will cut off their hand," Iran Chief of Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri told the state media, as quoted by The Times of Israel. 

It is to mention that recently US national security advisor Jake Sullivan met Israeli PM Naftali Bennett on Wednesday as the JCPOA struggles to make a headway. Meanwhile, Israel leaders have hinted at responding to Iran's hostilities, with Bennett accusing Tehran of "nuclear blackmail." The British Foreign Office also condemned Iran's use of ballistic missiles, saying that the move is "a threat to regional and international security."

(Image: AP)