Iran Warns US That New Missile Can Hit ‘Any Ship’ From 400 Miles Away

Jack Phillips
10/16/2018
Updated:
10/16/2018

Iran said that it has increased the range of its land-to-sea missiles to 435 miles, according to a senior official in the regime’s military.

“We have managed to make land-to-sea ballistic, not cruise, missiles that can hit any vessel or ship from 700 km,” said Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ airspace division, Reuters reported.

Hajizadeh said that officials have worked on extending the land-to-sea missile’s range after the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asked about “hitting ships” with ballistic missiles, according to the report.

He did not give details on the previous range of the missiles. In 2008, Iran displayed a ground-to-sea missile that it said could travel about 180 miles.

Defense Minister Amir Hatami also had dismissed concerns about the country’s defense requirements amid U.S. sanctions.

“Today, I announce that we are not concerned about the sanctions because we have produced all our defensive needs in all the marine, air and ground sectors,” Hatami said, reported the Times of Israel.
The United States and allies have been calling on Iran to curb the production of ballistic missiles.

New Sanctions

On Oct. 16, the U.S. Department of Treasury imposed financial sanctions on Iranian banks and companies over the “financial support to the Basij Resistance Force,” which has been accused of using child soldiers.

“The Bonyad Taavon Basij employs shell companies and other measures to mask Basij ownership and control over a variety of multibillion-dollar business interests in Iran’s automotive, mining, metals, and banking industries, many of which have significant international dealings across the Middle East and with Europe,” the Treasury Department said.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the network is an example of how “Iranian military forces have expanded their economic involvement in major industries, and infiltrated seemingly legitimate businesses to fund terrorism and other malign activities.”

He added: “The international community must understand that business entanglements with the Bonyad Taavon Basij network and IRGC front companies have real-world humanitarian consequences. This helps fuel the Iranian regime’s violent ambitions across the Middle East.”

In May, Iranian forces launched missiles on Israeli army outposts in the Golan Heights from Syria (Syria TV/Screenshot)
In May, Iranian forces launched missiles on Israeli army outposts in the Golan Heights from Syria (Syria TV/Screenshot)

In May, Iranian forces launched missiles (as seen in the top video) on Israeli army outposts in the Golan Heights from Syria. At the time Syrian, state media said the Israeli missile strikes hit a radar station, Syrian air defense positions, and an ammunition dump.

The Israeli military said Iran’s missile attack on the Golan Heights inflicted no casualties.

They also said the initial Iranian attack was carried out by the Quds Force, an external arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

“The IDF views this Iranian attack very severely,” said an Israeli defense official at the time, reported The Guardian. “This event is not over.”
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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