ALERT: Iran demonstrates anti-ship missile capability in exercise to issue warning to Israel and U.S. allies.

Iran’s IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) Navy carried out a coordinated cruise and ballistic missile strike during its Eghtedar naval exercise on December 5, 2025, firing from inland positions toward targets in the Sea of Oman. The drill was presented by Iranian officials as a direct warning to Israel and U.S.-aligned states, underscoring Tehran’s efforts to expand its anti-ship strike reach.

Iran’s IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) Navy used the second phase of its Eghtedar exercise to showcase what it called an operational anti-ship missile package, according to reports published by multiple Iranian media outlets on December 5, 2025. The coordinated launches, combining land-based cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic systems, were fired from dispersed inland sites toward designated targets in the Sea of Oman. Iranian commanders framed the event as a strategic message to Israel and U.S. partners in the region, while outside analysts noted that the profile reflects Tehran’s ongoing push to field survivable, longer-range maritime strike options.
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An Iranian cruise missile launches from an inland site toward a naval target in the Sea of Oman during the IRGC Navy’s Eghtedar exercise on December 5, 2025, showcasing Iran’s expanding anti-ship strike capabilities. (Picture source: Iran Press Agency)

Among the missiles launched were several long-range cruise missile variants, including the Qadr-110, Qadr-380, and Qadir, alongside the 303 ballistic missile. The synchronized firing from deep inside Iranian territory suggests a strategic focus on standoff capability and rapid strike potential. The IRGC also integrated drone units into the exercise, reportedly striking mock enemy bases in tandem with missile operations, indicating a growing emphasis on multi-domain coordination.

This missile launch comes amid heightened tensions in the region and is widely interpreted as a dual-purpose signal from Tehran: one of peace and partnership to neighboring Gulf nations, and a clear warning to adversaries that Iran retains the capability to deliver a swift and decisive response to any perceived aggression. While Iranian officials emphasized the defensive nature of the drill, the underlying message was unmistakably pointed at the United States and Israel, particularly in the wake of recent regional hostilities.

According to regional defense observers and open-source intelligence analysts, the inclusion of the Qadr-380 — one of Iran’s most advanced cruise missiles, revealed earlier this year — is particularly notable. Capable of being launched from concealed road-mobile platforms or even underground silos, the Qadr-380 is believed to have a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, with high subsonic speed and sea-skimming capabilities that challenge naval air defense systems.

What sets this exercise apart is the origin of the missile launches in inland areas. Unlike previous drills that emphasized coastal or maritime launch platforms, this phase of the Eghtedar exercise projects a deeper strategic layer. By demonstrating the ability to strike maritime targets from within Iran’s interior, the IRGC reinforces its strategy of layered deterrence and rapid retaliation. This approach complicates enemy targeting cycles and underscores Tehran’s intent to offset conventional naval disadvantages with missile saturation and geographic depth.

Defense analysts consulted by Army Recognition note that such inland-to-sea strikes would pose significant targeting challenges for adversaries, particularly for U.S. and allied naval assets operating in the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. A senior Western defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked that this drill reflects “a maturing of Iran’s anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) doctrine, now combining mobility, concealment, and precision strike with increasing confidence.”

Iranian state media released footage of the launches, but independent verification remains limited. However, satellite imagery and regional maritime tracking data confirm heightened activity in the Sea of Oman over the past 24 hours, consistent with large-scale military maneuvers.

This is not the first time Iran has demonstrated such capabilities, but the scale, precision, and inland launch origin mark a notable evolution in both message and method. With Iran’s naval command posturing for a greater role in power projection beyond the Persian Gulf, the IRGC’s recent actions are likely to trigger heightened alertness among U.S. CENTCOM forces and allied naval commands in Bahrain and the Indian Ocean corridor.

Ultimately, the December 5, 2025, demonstration serves as both a technical milestone and a geopolitical warning. As Iran continues to invest in indigenous missile production and integrated strike systems, its ability to shape the regional security environment through calibrated displays of force will only grow. The IRGC’s message is clear: the sea is no longer a safe buffer for adversaries, and the range of retaliation is no longer constrained to Iran’s borders.