TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force on Wednesday successfully launched a series of ballistic missiles from well-camouflaged underground missile systems during a large-scale military exercise underway in southern Iran.

It was for the first time that the IRGC launched missiles from under the ground.  

On the second day of Payambar-e Azam (The Great Prophet) 14, the IRGC Aerospace Force showcased parts of its capabilities in combating hypothetical threats of the enemy.

According to Tasnim, the IRGC’s Sukhoi-22 fighter jets also destroyed targets on the Farur Island with winged bombs. 

A broad range of smart bombs were dropped to detonate the hypothetical enemy’s targets with great accuracy, as the targets have been designed on a much smaller scale than the actual size.

The IRGC forces also practiced a missile combat operation by firing Hormuz and Fateh ground-to-ground missiles and a ballistic missile. The air defense units also exercised pinpoint firing at aerial targets.

A range of homegrown drones, including Shahed-181, Mohajer, and Bavar, launched a strike on the targets, while various types of sea-to-sea and coast-to-sea missiles were fired in the war game.

The IRGC troops also exercised offensive mine-laying operations and tactics to cut off the naval connections of the hypothetical enemy.

The military exercise took place in Iran’s southern coastal province of Hormozgan, western parts of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Persian Gulf.

Satellite images taken by Iran’s homegrown Noor (light) satellite that was launched into space in April have been used to evaluate the situation in the war game zone.

On Tuesday, which saw the first day of the war game, the IRGC staged “all-out and multi-layer” strikes against the life-size replica of a Nimitz-class U.S. aircraft carrier, which the U.S. navy usually sails into the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC’s servicemen began the episode by destroying the mock carrier’s accompaniment with coast-to-sea fire.

The national television aired footage showing the damage caused to the mock aircraft carrier following the operational juncture.

Elite divers then took action by delivering a “confusing blow” to the carrier’s command bridge, namely the room from which the vessel is steered.

Also on Tuesday, the IRGC fired long-range ballistic missiles capable of destroying hostile vessels.

According to the spokesman of the wargame, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforushan, anti-ballistic and anti-cruise missile defense operations were carried out in the war game.

The general also said the IRGC forces have used a series of “surprising equipment and weapons” in the drills, such as long-range ballistic missiles capable of hitting the intruding naval targets at a far distance.

The war game was announced to be monitored for the first time by the Noor-1 Satellite.

The IRGC successfully put Noor into orbit on April 22. The Iranian satellite was launched with the three-stage satellite carrier Qassed (messenger) from a launch pad in Dasht-e Kavir, a large desert in central Iran.

Iran’s Armed Forces hold routine military exercises throughout the year.

Iranian officials have repeatedly said that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

MH/PA