Iran's Hypersonic Threat: 'Capable Of Penetrating All Defense Shields', 'Can Bypass All Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems Of The U.S. And Israel's Iron Dome

Iran’s 400-second hypersonic threat

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz

In June, the IRNA, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reported that the regime had unveiled its first domestically made hypersonic ballistic missile at a ceremony attended by President Ebrahim Rahisi and commanders of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps. The report, replete with photos of the Fattah (conqueror) medium-range ballistic missile, raised concerns among Western powers. According to Iran, its high maneuverability and speed allow it to defeat all missile defense systems.

“The precision-guided Fattah hypersonic missile has a range of 1,400 km, and it is capable of penetrating all defense shields,” Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards’ aerospace force, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

“It can bypass the most advanced anti-ballistic missile systems of the United States and the Zionist regime, including Israel’s Iron Dome,” Iran’s state TV said.

The Fattah missile was first announced last November at an event marking the anniversary of the death of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, known as the father of Iranian missile technology, who died in an explosion at a missile base in 2011, which also killed more than a dozen other IRGC members. Iran accused Israel’s intelligence service, the Mossad, of orchestrating the explosion.

“The precision-guided Fattah hypersonic missile has a range of 1,400 km, and it is capable of penetrating all defense shields,” Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards’ aerospace force, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

“It can bypass the most advanced anti-ballistic missile systems of the United States and the Zionist regime, including Israel’s Iron Dome,” Iran’s state TV said.

The Fattah missile was first announced last November at an event marking the anniversary of the death of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, known as the father of Iranian missile technology, who died in an explosion at a missile base in 2011, which also killed more than a dozen other IRGC members. Iran accused Israel’s intelligence service, the Mossad, of orchestrating the explosion.

Reports claim the Fattah is a precision-guided two-stage solid-fueled missile with a range of 1400 km and terminal speed of Mach 13 to Mach 15. Its warhead has a spherical engine running on solid fuel with a movable nozzle that allows the warhead to increase its own speed and move in all directions. According to Iran, it can maneuver in and out of the atmosphere and is capable of bypassing missile defenses. It can also target anti-ballistic missile systems to clear the way for other ballistic missiles.

At the claimed speeds, Fattah could theoretically reach Israeli targets in under seven minutes. A media campaign featured the slogan, “400 seconds to Tel Aviv,” appearing in Persian, Hebrew and Arabic.

The only countries believed to currently have hypersonic missiles are China and Russia. The US is lagging behind in this new military hardware. 

Iran has several other ballistic missiles that can reach Israel; Iran unveiled a liquid-fueled ballistic missile, dubbed “Kheibar,” named after the location of a seventh-century battle between early Islamic forces and inhabitants of a Jewish fortified oasis, resulting in the Jews being massacred. The Khaibar has a range of 2,000 km and can carry a 1,500-kilogram warhead. The two-stage solid propellant “Sejjil” missile has a range of 2,400 kilometers. 

The Houthi rebels in Yemen possess the Quds 3 version of the Iranian “Soumar” cruise missile with a range of some 2,000 kilometers, putting Israel in range. 

In assessing the projectile threat to Israel, it is also necessary to combine the Iranian arsenal with Hezbollah’s stockpile of over 200,000 warheads, which includes 65,000 short-range rockets and missiles with a range of 150 to 200 kilometers [93 to 124 miles], 5,000 medium-range and long-range missiles with a range of 300 to 350 kilometers [186 to 217 miles] and beyond, over 2,000 unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as tens of precision-guided missiles. Hezbollah also possesses some 145,000 mortar shells, according to estimates by the Alma Center, a defense research group.