What Missiles Were Used in Iran's Strike on Israel?.

On October 1, 2024, a large-scale attack orchestrated by Iran hit Israeli soil, marking a significant turning point in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. As part of "Operation True Promise 2," Iranian forces deployed a vast arsenal, including 120 ballistic missiles (including Emads), 170 drones, and 30 hypersonic missiles, among them the Fatah-2.
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Images of Emad MRBMs launched at Israel during Operation True Promise 2. (Picture source: Iranian Media)

The 120 ballistic missiles used in this attack notably included the Emad, a medium-range missile capable of striking targets nearly 1,700 kilometers away with improved accuracy. Thanks to its terminal guidance system, these missiles can adjust their trajectory in the final phase of flight, thus increasing their effectiveness. This coordinated attack also saw the use of 170 drones, another crucial component of Iran’s military strategy. Drones have become indispensable weapons in modern warfare, and Iran’s attack on Israel featured a significant number of them.

However, the most concerning aspect of this offensive lies in the deployment of 30 hypersonic missiles, a first in this conflict. Among them, the Fatah-2 was used for the first time in a conflict. This hypersonic missile, capable of flying at a speed of Mach 13, stands out due to its ability to evade conventional defense systems thanks to its high-speed maneuverability. With an estimated range of 1,400 kilometers, the Fatah-2 can not only reach its targets in record time but it is also designed to change course during flight, making interception extremely difficult. Its payload, tailored for precision strikes, makes it a formidable weapon for attacks on critical infrastructure.

This coordinated offensive severely tested Israeli defense systems, notably the Iron Dome and Arrow anti-missile batteries. While these systems successfully intercepted part of the ballistic missiles and drones, the threat posed by hypersonic missiles like the Fatah-2 remains a significant concern. Current anti-missile defense systems struggle to keep up with these ultra-fast weapons, giving Iran a clear strategic advantage in its pursuit of deterrence against Israel. So far, no precise figures have demonstrated how effectively the Fatah-2 was intercepted, but Iranian officials have claimed that 90% of the means employed in the attack reached their targets.

The October 1 attack thus marks an escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel, not only due to the impressive quantity of weaponry deployed but also because of the advanced quality of these attack systems. Iran has demonstrated its ability to carry out a complex offensive, integrating drones, precision ballistic missiles, and hypersonic missiles, thereby pushing the limits of Israeli defenses. The drones disrupted detection systems and weakened rapid response capabilities, while Emad ballistic missiles and Fatah-2 hypersonic missiles targeted infrastructure.

The Emad-1, in particular, is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and used since 2015 by the Aerospace Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCASF). It represents an important milestone in Iran’s ballistic capabilities, being one of the first weapons of its kind to incorporate an advanced guidance system, thus improving its accuracy compared to previous models. The Emad-1 missile is powered by liquid fuel, a technology that, while older than solid propellants, allows for greater flexibility in adjusting parameters before launch.

With a diameter of 1.25 meters, the Emad is designed to carry a single warhead, enabling it to strike targets up to 1,700 kilometers away. This range allows it to hit targets across much of the Middle East, including Israel, with notable precision. Indeed, the missile boasts a circular error probable (CEP) of 50 meters, meaning its margin of error at impact is relatively small, a significant improvement over older ballistic systems. This makes the Emad a formidable weapon for targeted strikes on strategic infrastructure.

The October 1, 2024, attack symbolizes a rise in tensions between Iran and Israel, with the use of a sophisticated and varied arsenal, including ballistic missiles, drones, and Fatah-2 hypersonic missiles. This offensive, carried out as part of "Operation True Promise 2," highlights the evolution of Iranian military capabilities and raises new questions about Israel’s defense systems' ability to cope with these threats. While the international community calls for calm, this escalation serves as a reminder of the fragility of the situation in the Middle East and the inherent risks of increasingly technological warfare.