Iran Claims It Fired Hypersonic ‘Fattah’ Missile at Israel – How Powerful Is This Weapon?

Iran has developed an extensive range of ballistic missiles

New Delhi: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on June 18 that it launched a hypersonic Fattah missile toward Israel’s capital, Tel Aviv. State-run agencies Mehr News and Press TV confirmed the development, citing IRGC sources. According to Press TV, the IRGC described this latest phase of its operation as a “turning point”, suggesting that the deployment of the first-generation Fattah missile marked “the beginning of the end” for what it called Israel’s “imaginary missile defense systems”.

Since last Friday, Israel has carried out widespread strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and military positions. Iran has retaliated with missile attacks targeting Tel Aviv and Haifa Port. Although Iran had used Fattah-1 missiles during its October 2024 strike on Israel, this is the first time the weapon has been deployed in the ongoing conflict.

First unveiled in 2023, the Fattah missile was named by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and described by the IRGC as an “Israel-striker”. At the unveiling event, a massive banner in Hebrew read, “400 seconds to Tel Aviv”, a reference to the missile’s rapid speed.

Does Fattah Really Have Hypersonic Capabilities?

While Iran claims the Fattah is hypersonic, many military analysts remain skeptical of its actual performance. Hypersonic weapons are typically defined as those travelling between 5 to 25 times the speed of sound. The Fattah missile reportedly reaches speeds of 13 to 15 Mach (about 5 kilometres per second) before hitting its target. The IRGC introduced it as a missile capable of evading all known interception systems.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ Aerospace Organisation, stated at the launch that the missile is “extremely fast”, capable of operating inside and outside Earth’s atmosphere. He also declared that “no missile can destroy Fattah”.

New Generation – Fattah-2

Four months after the Fattah-1 unveiling, Iran introduced the Fattah-2 – a cruise missile with an extended range of 1,500 kilometres. According to Iranian state media, this missile can fly at low altitudes and alter its course multiple times during flight. The unveiling took place during Khamenei’s visit to the Ashura University of Aerospace Sciences and Technology, though its exact range remains undisclosed.

Iran’s Full Missile Arsenal

Iran categorises its missile systems into four main groups – rockets, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles.

These include both domestically developed systems and imported technologies from countries like Russia and China. Some of these weapons are ground-launched while others are designed for sea-to-sea or sea-to-ground targeting.

During its April 2024 strike on Israel, Iran used a combination of Emad-3 ballistic missiles, Paveh cruise missiles and Shahed-136 drones. State media also claimed that Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles were used.

The Emad missile, introduced in 2015, is said to have a range of 1,700 kilometres and carries a 750-kilogram warhead. It is considered an improved version of the Qadr missile.

Paveh, a medium-range cruise missile with a range of 1,650 kilometers, is capable of mid-flight course changes and group coordination during strikes– features believed to have made it ideal for the Israeli assault.

Unveiled in February 2023, it was later confirmed as having successfully reached Israel during the April 13 attack.

Iran’s most powerful missile systems currently have a maximum range of between 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers, falling short of being able to target Europe. According to Iranian military officials, this range cap was set on the orders of Supreme Leader Khamenei, who reportedly instructed that no missile should exceed 2,000 kilometers in range. Though he hinted there was a “reason” for this decision, he did not disclose what it was.

Among the shorter-range options is the Zolfaghar missile, a 10-meter-long ballistic missile with a 700-kilometer range and mobile launch capabilities. It was previously used in 2017 and 2018 against ISIS targets.

Iran claims this missile can evade radar detection and is an advanced version of the Fateh-110, carrying a warhead of approximately 450 kilograms.

What Comes Next?

As Iran escalates its missile rhetoric and capabilities, Israel remains on high alert. In response to Iran’s claims and threats, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, “I have heard our enemies boasting about their homemade weapons. We have superior answers for every kind of technology – on land, in the air and at sea.”

With weapons like Fattah entering the battlefield, and doubts lingering over their true capabilities, the situation grows more volatile. Whether these systems will tilt the balance in Iran’s favour or provoke a larger regional response remains an open and dangerous question.